Steven Greenhut opines on the lucky break he believes residents of Sacramento received earlier this week when owners of the city's NBA franchise backed out of a partnership to build a new basketball arena in the city's downtown.
The "handshake deal" agreed to in February would have required the team's owners, the Maloof family, to kick in $73 million of their own money, in addition to the $255 million the city was expected to generate by privatizing its parking.
Although civic boosters are outraged by the snub, Greenhut believes there is reason to cheer.
"Economists have long understood that new arenas and sports stadiums rarely bring new economic activity into a city, but merely move entertainment money around the region...Sacramento officials spent their time and squandered taxpayer money on such dreams, while neglecting the nitty-gritty of municipal government -- a negligence that shows throughout city neighborhoods."
FULL STORY: Sacramento Is Fresh Victim of Bad Stadium Deals
Florida Stadium Consultant Built a Questionable Model to Justify Stadium Deals
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The City of Broken Sidewalks
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Old Walls, New Homes
From forgotten buildings to thriving neighborhoods, adaptive reuse has the power to transform our cities.
Housing as a Climate Resilience Strategy
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Southeast LA Road Safety Advocates Call for Improved Infrastructure
Streets in southeastern Los Angeles County have a severe lack of protected bike lanes and traffic safety measures, leading to high numbers of fatalities in a community where many residents depend on walking and biking for daily needs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners