by Neil deMause
“With the dawn of this new era.” Bukowski, Baseball Palace, 17.
“We now know, though certain suits will never admit it.” John McCarron, “Opening Day Blues Go Back to the Days When Baseball Parks Were Baseball Parks,” Chicago Tribune, April 13, 1998.
8. Bad Neighbors
“To speak logically about the effects.” Philip Bess, “Urban Ballparks and the Future of Cities,” Real Estate Issues, December 1996.
“The pride and the presence of a professional football team.” Leonard Pitts Jr., “a professional football team is far more important than 30 libraries,” Baltimore Sun, August 30, 1996.
“For thirty years.” Philip Bess, “City Baseball Magic,” Minneapolis Review of Baseball, 1989, 25.
Ebbets Field was located in a bustling Brooklyn community. James Tackach and Joshua B. Stein, The Fields of Summer (New York: Crescent, 1992), 67.
The Polo Grounds in Manhattan. Philip J. Lowry, Green Cathedrals (Reading MA: Addison-Wesley, 1992), 11, 191.
In upper deck seats in SkyDome in Toronto. Lowry, Green Cathedrals, 4.
Even the sterile ’60s stadiums. Lowry, Green Cathedrals, 4.
This tremendous increase in sheer bulk. James Quirk and Rodney Fort, Pay Dirt (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992), 162.
The proposed stadium and adjacent public park. Charles C. Euchner, Playing the Field (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993), 156–57.
“Disneyland is quintessentially.” M. Christine Boyer, “Cities for Sale: Merchandising History at South Street Seaport,” in Variations on a Theme Park, ed. Michael Sorkin, (New York: Hill & Wang, 1992), 181–204.
“What Celebration was promising.” Russ Rymer, “Back to the Future,” Harper’s, October 1996.
“What Celebration celebrates, oddly.” Rymer, “Back to the Future.”
In fact, a poll by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Robert Whereatt, “Public Unmoved by Twins’ Proposal,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 26, 1997.
“The result is what has been termed the dual city.” W. Dennis Keating, “Cleveland: The Comeback City,” Mickey Lauria, ed., Reconstructing Urban Regime Theory: Regulating Urban Politics in a Global Economy (Thousand Oaks CA: Sage, 1997), 192.
Using numbers from the Cuyahoga County Auditor. “How Much Does It Really Cost,” Critique, February 1997.
A study conducted by the senate’s Economic Development Committee. Tamar Lewin, “Seeking to Shield Schools from Tax Breaks,” New York Times, May 21, 1997.
The formula is simple. There are numerous excellent studies on the policy of structural adjustment and its impact on the developing world. Among them, see Osvaldo Sunkel, “Economic reform and democratic viability” in The Consolidation of Democracy in Latin America, ed. Joseph S. Tulchin (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1995). He suggests that Latin American democratization is going to be undermined by neoliberal economic reform. Also, Isabella Bakker, ed., The Strategic Silence: Gender and Economic Policy (London: Zed, 1994). And Kerianne Piester, “Targeting the Poor: The Politics of Social Policy Reforms in Mexico” in The New Politics of Inequality in Latin America: Rethinking Participation and Representation, ed. Douglas A. Chalmers, Carlos M. Vilas, Katherine Hite, Scott B. Martin, Kerianne Piester, and Monique Segarra (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997).
“Gateway does not represent something new.” Steve Cagan, “Our Stadium,” WCPN-FM commentary, May 6, 1997.
9. Repeat Offenders
“Sports is a way of life, like eating.” Robert Whereatt, “Public Unmoved by Twins’ Proposal,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 26, 1997.
Saddled with what he claimed were insurmountable debts. “Chronology: The Long Goodbye,” Seattle Times, December 15, 1996.
“Every time they put up a dike.” O. Casey Corr, “Ballpark’s a Big Pain—and Proud of It,” Seattle Times, April 2, 1997.
“Recently, after more than three years of work.” “Last Out for Baseball in Seattle, Excerpts of Owners’ Statement,” Seattle Times, December 15, 1996.
“Gorton helped persuade the owners to reconsider.” Ericy Pyrne and O. Casey Corr, “Seattle Holding Firm on Stadium Deal,” Seattle Times, December 25, 1996.
Under the terms of the new deal. Seattle Times, December 25, 1996.
By February 1997, Washington Governor Gary Locke. “Locke: Let State Vote on Stadium Funding Tax Aimed at Aiding Hawks,” Seattle Times, February 21, 1997.
“I just don’t recall ever seeing someone pick up a total tab.” Carey Goldberg, “Billionaire Finances a Vote about Replacing a Stadium,” New York Times, May 25, 1997.
Wolfenson and Ratner, as part of the deal. Robert Fresco, “Teams Play Hardball,” Newsday, August 21, 1996.
The seven-year-old Target Center. Jay Weiner, “Lessons learned from Target Center,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 7, 1997.
The state responded by passing the Minnesota Corporate Welfare Reform Law. Janice Shields, “Ending (Corporate) Welfare as We Know It,” Business and Society Review, Summer 1995.
Pohlad, the billionaire head of a banking empire. Chris Ison and Paul McEnroe, “Dealing with Carl Pohlad,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, April 20, 1997.
Proclaiming himself the state’s “number one fan.” Jay Weiner, “State’s First Fan Talks about Sports and a New Stadium,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, December 1, 1996.
“Never has the owner of a football or baseball team.” Beth Hawkins, “Home Field Advantage,” Minneapolis City Pages, April 2, 1997.
On January 26 the first polls came in. Whereatt, “Public Unmoved by Twins’ Proposal.”
“it’s not unlike when you want to pass the victim’s rights bill.” Robert Whereatt, “Twins Legends Make Pitch for Ballpark,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 11, 1997.
“If I invest two thirds of the money.” Jay Weiner, “Citizen Panel Says ‘No’ to Funding New Twins Stadium,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 23, 1997.
“If ever someone gets around to writing a brochure.” Robert Whereatt, “The Rise (and Fall) of the Twins Ballpark Bill,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 10, 1997.
“The financing of the thing is too screwy.” Michael T. Johnson, post to www.startribune.com, November 10, 1997.
“On November 13, professional baseball died in Minnesota.” Conrad deFiebre, Jay Weiner, Robert Whereatt, and Dane Smith, “Out at Home: Legislators Vote Down ‘Final’ Stadium Plan,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, November 14, 1997.
“Everybody says it’s dead.” deFiebre, “Out at Home.”
“Ten years, five mayors.” John Yewell, “Build It Yourself, Carl,” Twin Cities Reader, March 5–11, 1997. The Giants chronology that follows is drawn largely from Yewell’s article.
“Given the fact that there are many cities.” Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, “Public Opposes Paying for 49er Stadium,” San Francisco Chronicle, October 28, 1996.
“For every $4.25 that the 49ers put on the table.” Susan Yoachum and Edward Epstein, “Stadium Poll Holds Lessons For 49ers,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 11, 1997.
The first member of the public. Edward Epstein and John King, “49ers’ Deal Raises Doubts,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 8, 1997.
City controller Ed Harrington promptly issued. John King, “Controller’s Message to Voters Boosts 49ers Stadium Measure,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 20, 1997.
“Opponents call it ‘Candlestick Pork.’” Edward Epstein, “Ballot Satirists Hauled Into Court,” San Francisco Chronicle, April 2, 1997.
“Once the mayor gets into the posture.” Edward Epstein, “49ers Want Taxpayers to Help Carry the Ball for New Stadium,” San Francisco Chronicle, September 10, 1996.
“combining [an indigenous culture] with some kind of cheap horror movie.” Michael Dougan and Julie Chao, “Raunchy ‘Ritual,’” San Francisco Examiner, May 8, 1997.
“Candlestick is almost to the point.” Joan Ryan, “49ers Woo Women’s Vote With Wine, Words—and Steve Young,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 16, 1997.
&nbs
p; “Threatening to go to Los Angeles is like.” Rob Morse, “49ers 90210? Like, I’m So Sure,” San Francisco Examiner, May 22, 1997.
City employees, it was further revealed. Michael Howerton, “Winning Ugly: How Willie Brown Used City Employees to Win the 49ers Stadium–Mall,” San Francisco Bay Guardian, June 11, 1997.
After spending more than $2 million. Carla Marinucci and Gregory Lewis, “Foes Say Team Spent $33 a Vote to Carpet Bomb City,” San Francisco Examiner, June 4, 1997; Eric Brazil, “Funding the Stadium Fight,” San Francisco Examiner, May 23, 1997.
“The guy upstairs must really have wanted.” Gwen Knapp, “In the End, Sentiment Led to ‘Ugly’ Win,” San Francisco Examiner, June 4, 1997.
In June 1997 Your Money magazine. Deborah A. Rogus, “America’s Sports Stadiums: How Much Do They Really Cost You?” Your Money, June/July 1997.
“If you go into building a new stadium.” Jay Weiner, “Is the Dome Doomed?” Minneapolis Star Tribune, April 28, 1997.
“Seattle will now be relegated to a second-tier status.” Stuart Eskenazi, “Voters Support Restriction on Arena Financing,” Seattle Times, November 7, 2006.
10. The Bucks Stop Here
“The loyal rooters never doubted.” Bill Veeck, The Hustler’s Handbook (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965), 305.
“lobbied to death by the NFL’s hired guns.” Jason Vest, “Uproot for the Home Team,” U.S. News and World Report, March 10, 1997.
In 1997 Minnesota representative David Minge. Mike Meyers, “Minge Bill Puts Subsidy Debate on National Agenda,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, December 3, 1997.
The team now has 1,915 stockholders. Johnette Howard, “Frozen in Time,” Sports Illustrated, January 13, 1997.
“I don’t think the institutionals will touch this.” Larry Lebowitz, “Investors Go for Panthers Shares; Analysts Warn of Potential Losses,” Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, November 14, 1996.
“If the pattern of previous publicly traded teams.” Ed Fowler, “Franchise Owners Too Rich for Their Own Good,” Houston Chronicle, September 29, 1996.
The Celtics, which became the first team. Ed Fowler, “Franchise Owners Too Rich.”
But that initial offering also gave. Joanna Cagan and Neil deMause, “Buy the Bums Out,” In These Times, December 9, 1996.
“essentially creating a partnership.” “Twins Announce Plans for New Outdoor Ballpark,” January 8, 1997, Minnesota Twins Team News, Minnesota Twins/Major League Baseball Web site.
The California Supreme Court rejected the case. Cagan and deMause, “Buy the Bums Out.”
When Joan Kroc inherited ownership. Barry Lorge, “Kroc Wanted to Give Padres to City; Owners’ Committee Thwarted Philanthropic 1989 Offer,” San Diego Union-Tribune, July 29, 1990.
It seemed too good to be true. Lorge, “Kroc Wanted to Give Padres to City.”
“If the city owned it.” Lorge, “Kroc Wanted to Give Padres to City.”
and in Montreal, where the Expos ownership. Kenneth L. Shropshire, The Sports Franchise Game (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995), 62.
no right-thinking for-profit owner. Major league owners did vote, in September 1997, to allow for public stock offerings in professional baseball teams, but the gesture seems likely to be as ultimately meaningless as it is in the other major sports.
“baseball should be a partnership among owners.” Ross Atkin, “Move Over Major Leaguers, Here Comes the UBL,” Christian Science Monitor, September 29, 1995.
11. Winning Isn’t Everything
“I too never forgot that story.” Leo Rosten, Captain Newman, M.D. (New York: Harper & Row, 1961), 331.
12. One Year
”Buying the team, instead of building a stadium.” Scott Stringer press release, December 6, 1998.
”Scott Stringer’s proposal is a concept.” Bill Egbert, with Maureen Fan, “Pol Wants City to Take a Swing at Owning Yanks,” Daily News, December 7, 1998.
“If we don’t have a downtown ballpark.” www.fieldofschemes.com/news.
At 2 p.m. on April 13. Joe Gergen, “Coming Apart at the Seams,” Newsday, April 14, 1998, A71.
“The traffic and the parking are horrendous.” Dan Barry, “On Opening Day, Uncertainty about Yankee Stadium,” New York Times, April 11, 1998.
“unavailable for comment because.” Randy Kennedy, “Suspicious New Yorkers Cultivate Steinbrenner Conspiracy Theories,” New York Times, April 16, 1998.
The morning after the beam incident. Grant McCool, “Yankee Stadium Future in Doubt after Collapse,” Reuters, April 14, 1998.
“From a structural perspective.” David Seifman, “Ruth Built House to Last,” New York Post, April 20, 1998, 6.
Giuliani announced that a Manhattan ballpark. Seifman, “Ruth Built House to Last,” 6.
“thousands and thousands and thousands of jobs.” Dan Barry, “City Study Sees Big Revenues If Yankees Play in Manhattan,” New York Times, April 22, 1998, B1; Robert Hardt Jr., “Yanks’ Move to W. Side All Add$ Up, Says City Hall,” New York Post, April 22, 1998, 4.
The next morning, the New York Times revealed. Charles V. Bagli, “’96 Stadium Study Found Fewer Benefits,” New York Times, April 23, 1998, B3.
Giuliani declared that he had successfully scared her off. Frank Lombardi and Luke Cyphers, “Rudy: I Win Yankee Fight,” Daily News, April 29, 1998.
“I would like New York to have.” Robert Hardt Jr., “Box-Office Bombers?” New York Post, May 7, 1998, 3.
even New Jersey residents wanted. “Poll in New Jersey: Yankees, Stay Put,” Associated Press, April 23, 1998.
“If you build a new stadium.” Ray Sánchez and Pete Bowles, “Home Sweet Home,” Newsday, April 25, 1998, A3.
“I bet if we were playing in Baltimore.” Sánchez and Bowles, “Home Sweet Home,” A3.
especially in a city whose schools were literally falling down. Several critics noted that part of a school in Queens had partially collapsed the same week as the beam incident at Yankee Stadium, forcing the school’s closure in an already overcrowded district.
“one of the most fantastic stadiums.” Luke Cyphers, “Double Play for Shea,” Daily News, April 4, 1998, 5.
“definitely would contribute an unspecified amount.” Bill Madden and Douglas Feiden, “Rudy, Yanks’ West Side Story,” Daily News, April 19, 1998, 5.
the number-one tourist attraction in the entire state. Save Fenway Park, Save Fenway Park: An Economic and Planning Analysis, March 1999.
Though ranked among the top ten baseball teams. Michael Ozanian, “Selective Accounting,” Forbes, December 14, 1998.
That city’s $238 million collection. Charolette Aiken and Randy Ellis, “Underestimate Led to Mistake in Ballpark Cost,” Oklahoman, February 8, 1996.
When Birmingham residents were polled. Birmingham News, November 16, 1997.
“if we would have voted on that piece by piece.” Steve Lackmeyer and Jack Money, “MAPS Tax Supported, Poll Shows,” Oklahoman, November 6, 1997.
“It’s the voters who make the decisions.” Associated Press, “Alabama Voters Reject Stadium Proposal,” August 6, 1998.
“I do not believe the city should build an arena.” Kelley Shannon, “Spurs May Move to Privately Financed Arena,” Associated Press, February 8, 1996.
“I’ll go out and tell people.” Mark Rosner, “Vote Probably Dooms Spurs’ Plans for New Arena,” Austin American-Statesman, December 15, 1998.
“If you’re going to move a team.” www.fieldofschemes.com/news.
An initial plan for restaurant chains. Scott Maxwell, “Anti-Tax Sentiment the Key,” Greensboro Journal, May 7, 1998; Justin Catanoso, “Stadium Tax Campaign Loses Restaurant Chain’s Support,” Greensboro News and Record, February 18, 1998.
Plans for a “bottle hanger” promotion. Justin Catanoso, “Pepsi Won’t Be Helping Distribute Information for the Triad Baseball Campaign, but It Still Supports the Effort,” Greensboro News and Record, March 13, 1998.
“The economics of baseball hav
e gotten.” John A. Nagy, “Commissioners Ask for Rejection of Ball Plan,” Greensboro News and Record, April 24, 1998.
In the end, Vote Yes. Lenox Rawlings, “Thumbed Tax,” Greensboro Journal, May 7, 1998.
In voting more than twice as heavy. “Tuesday’s Vote,” Greensboro Journal, May 7, 1998.
“The [Winston-Salem] Warthogs.” Rawlings, “Thumbed Tax.”
“a victory not only for taxpayers.” Scott Maxwell, “Anti-Tax Sentiment the Key,” Greensboro Journal, May 7, 1998.
Thirteen days later, the city of Charlotte. Justin Catanoso, “Charlotte Sized Up Its Appetite for Major League Baseball,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 19, 1998; Jay Weiner, “Charlotte’s Next in Line as Twins Home,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 18, 1998.
“It’s not a grant.” John Baer, “It’s a Go!” Philadelphia Daily News, February 4, 1999.
The difference would affect the team’s annual rent payment. Philip J. LaVelle, “City Finds Consolation on Tickets,” San Diego Union-Tribune, December 25, 1998.
Houston software tycoon John Moores. Philip J. LaVelle, “Padres Release Ballpark Terms in Public Pitch,” San Diego Union-Tribune, June 28, 1998.
Included in the $115 million, for example. Philip J. LaVelle, “Ballpark Approved Decisively,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 4, 1998.
“Why should San Diego give $275 million.” Don Bauder, “New Studies Fail to Make the Case for a Ballpark,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 15, 1998.
“You don’t want to be, five years from now.” Gerry Braun, “Padres Start Ballpark Drive with Rally,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 16, 1998.
“If we don’t build it.” Nick Canepa, “If We Don’t Build It, Padres Will Be Gone,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 1, 1998.
“Time running out.” Gerry Braun and Philip J. LaVelle, “All-Night Talks Fail to Sew Up Ballpark Deal; Time Running Out for Mayor, Padres,” San Diego Union-Tribune, July 31, 1998.
Standard & Poor’s, the Wall Street rating agency. Philip J. LaVelle, “Credit Agency Cautious over Ballpark Debt,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 29, 1998.
“We’re getting a chance.” Philip J. LaVelle, “Ballpark Approved Decisively,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 4, 1998.