Cleveland's costly and longtime entanglement with the Gateway complex underscores how misguided public investments in professional sports fail to deliver promised economic benefits, writes columnist Leslie Kouba.
In this 2002 photo, the lights from what was then known as Gund Arena, and Jacobs Field behind it, beckon sports fans to the Gateway complex. Columnist Leslie Kouba writes that Cleveland's costly and longtime entanglement with the Gateway complex underscores how misguided public investments in professional sports fail to deliver promised economic benefits.
Owning a pro sports organization is an investment. The better the return on an investment, the happier the investor, or so the refrain goes. If a business can get others to help pay for stuff, its bottom line increases. Everyone was sure Gateway would always have plenty of revenue to provide property maintenance and updates, as any good landlord should. After all, both teams signed multi-decade leases. Gateway would also get a percentage of all game and special event ticket sales, plus all the parking garage income. Meanwhile, the sin tax would pay off the construction loan. All would be spiffy.
Our public officials have admitted they’ve mortgaged the future and robbed Peter to pay Paul, but a contract is a contract, and just because past projections failed, the city can’t abandon Gateway. There’s too much already invested. Kinda like the good old Med Mart. Families living in abject poverty receive no benefit from all the hubbub. People’s ability to access good healthcare, nutritious food and job training for empowerment and upward growth is unchanged by the bright lights and loud cheers at the Gateway complex. But those bright lights dazzle eyes, spotlighting Cleveland as a destination, a happening city. That’s nice.
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