USL owners are getting financial help to build venues.
There is a wave of small stadiums being built for United Soccer League tier two and tier three level franchises around the country. The various stadium construction costs are being partially picked up by taxpayers. The venues are part of stadium-village plans. Many of the leaders of the smaller municipalities that are building these stadium-villages believe the investments will help their economies by creating jobs and a tax base. The problem? Most of the jobs created within a district are per diem or minimum wage positions and the way the construction is paid off is a problem. Special stadium tax districts are created and sales tax that would normally go to a municipality’s general fund is redirected to the stadium-village developer to pay construction costs. Sports has become a real estate enterprise both on the major league level and the minor league level with owners looking for revenue from not only a stadium but development surrounding the venue.
Omaha, Nebraska may be the next USL market to see a stadium-village built on the back of taxpayers. The owners of the Union Omaha soccer club will be partnering with the City of Omaha to build a 7,000-seat stadium. The venue will be the centerpiece of a 20-acre development that includes retail, shopping, and housing. The Union Omaha franchise owners said the cost of the stadium might be $114 million. But the cost estimate does not include the cost to build or improve infrastructure for the stadium-village. That money will come from a municipal taxing gadget. Omaha Mayor John Ewing sounded like many other mayors when he talked about the stadium-village plan. “The stadium and surrounding district would offer another reason to live, work and play downtown, strengthening our urban core. It will be an engine for jobs, housing, entertainment and urban living.” It rarely works out that way.
Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191
Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com
