WSJ: Stadiums, falling way below projections, don’t actually incent economic development.
When planned as an integral part of a district/neighborhood they can be beneficial (so don’t jump on me), but how many stadiums are situated in such a manner? Fenway, Wrigley? The Columbus Blue Jacket’s Nationwide Arena does a good job, as does the Memphis minor league baseball team, and Staples Center in LA because they all recognize the ephemoral nature of their event spaces. The areas around them must work without or in spite of the facility not because of them.
Meanwhile, Glory Park hangs in limbo with the 2011 Super Bowl in the balance and DFW’s nationwide reputation along with it. Do you want to be remembered like New Orleans, San Diego, and Miami as Super Bowl hosts? Or Detroit, Jacksonville, and Houston as utter disgraces and embarrassments? You think the City of Arlington is kicking themself for not participating in DART or any public transit as the largest city in America to do so? Instead, being forced to pay X amount of millions to shuttle Super Bowl festivity goers from Dallas to Arlington and back. Fun Times.
In a related note, Athens regrets having the Olympics, further supporting London’s approach to “break-away” facilities.
I wonder if Atlanta regrets bribing the IOC with free tuition for their children to Georgia Tech among other improprieties.
