Folio's counter to EverBank and Shad Khan

[pierre]

To be accurate, the bed tax can be used for whatever purposes the city votes for it.  Its for the promotion of tourism, not a piggy bank for any of the sports teams.

It certainly cannot be used for the majority of things listed by the Folio.

hmm.  i don't have a dog in this show, but which part of the ordinance says that?

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0200-0299/0212/Sections/0212.0305.html

3. All consolidated county convention development moneys, including any interest accrued thereon, received by a county imposing the levy must be used in any of the following manners, although the utilization authorized in sub-subparagraph a. shall apply only to municipalities with a population of 10,000 or more:
a. To promote and advertise tourism;
b. To extend, enlarge, and improve existing publicly owned convention centers in the county;
c. To construct a multipurpose convention/coliseum/exhibition center or the maximum components thereof as funds permit in the county; and
d. To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, or maintain one or more convention centers, stadiums, exhibition halls, arenas, coliseums, or auditoriums.

[pierre]

Jacksonville has a third of the bed tax go to pay off debt on the stadium, a third go to sports complex improvements and a third go to tourism advertising (mostly Visit Jacksonville).

[avonjax]

The problem with the article is, let's face it, NONE of these things would have happened. The Council would cry about money being spent, the average Jacksonville citizen would cry about the waste of money, the "studies" would continue unabated and in 10 or so years nothing would have happened anyway. Some of this list might happen but we have been reading about these ideas for YEARS.

Khan has deep pockets and if he wants to put millions into downtown and the shipyards I applaud him. I realize the plans he has presented for the shipyards are preliminary but I love the concept. It's been almost a decade and a half since the original shipyard plan was announced and all that developed property looks great doesn't it?

Maybe what Khan has done with the stadium will be the stimulus for his plans for the shipyards and his commitment to Jacksonville.
At this point in time I welcome any improvement anywhere downtown.

We should all be happy that someone is willing to something even if it includes adding giant video screens and swimming pools to Everbank. Besides everyone would have fought about where the money should have gone anyway and in another 10 years nothing would have happened.

[mbwright]

How many other businesses receive substantial funds from the bed tax?

[pierre]

How many other businesses receive substantial funds from the bed tax?

The Jaguars are not receiving funds from the tax. The money is going to the stadium, where the Jaguars are a tenant. As are the Gator Bowl, the Fla-Ga game, the Monster Jam, Country Music Superfest.

Would everybody be happier if the Jaguars themselves paid for the entire stadium upgrade instead of 1/3 of them. And then just turn off the new scoreboard during the Fla/Ga game? Close off the cabana area during the Gator Bowl?

[JayBird]

This is the battle that will never end. 5 yrs from now people will still be complaining about the wasted money on scoreboards. My opinion has been made on this subject on the numerous other threads that MJ has. But one good thing about this article, and the comments on this thread, is that it points out blatantly that this is a changing of the guard. Old Jacksonville is on it's way out and new Jacksonville is finally beginning to come in.

[KenFSU]

Do we get to use it for public messaging and events?

Yes, and I genuinely hope that we do.

The new Everbank is too epic to not find creative new uses for.

[MEGATRON]

Does anyone doubt that the new scoreboards will attract some other significant events.  What was the economic impact of the Country Music Superfest?  Something like $23M?  The video boards pay for themselves if we can attract one more event like that.

[KenFSU]

We sit around on this forum and complain about the city not investing in quality of life projects and then when they try to blast them for it.

It's also worth pointing out that, in addition to being a quality of life investment, the new video boards are also a financial investment in the city. People speak of them as if they are a sunk cost, $43 million in taxpayer dollars down the drain. If they help draw a couple of big events to Jacksonville, particularly an NCAA Championship game, they'll pay for themselves.

[Dapperdan]

There is already rumors that the Jags want to redo the club seats and add a canopy over the stadium. Guess who will foot the bill for most of that? I see the point of the article. When does it ever end and how much must be spent?
I also see the point that us upgrading this stadium is saving tons on demolishing and building a new one ( AKA Atlanta Falcons) . To me, it is a case of cities  trying to keep up with the Jones'. Literally.

[KenFSU]

But you also have to admit that it would be nice if the City showed the same (and even more responsible) judgement and speed when it comes to the other things that need to be done to improve our quality of life.

Absolutely.

It's amazing how quickly these scoreboards went from concept to execution relative something like Friendship Fountain, which went through what seemed like years of studies before any action was taken.

[InnerCityPressure]

Does anyone doubt that the new scoreboards will attract some other significant events.  What was the economic impact of the Country Music Superfest?  Something like $23M?  The video boards pay for themselves if we can attract one more event like that.

We attracted that event without the new video boards, because they, uhhh, weren't unveiled yet.  Fine point, though. 

[TheCat]

First, thank you folio. It's been so long since I read one of their articles without rolling my eyes. This was a nice piece.

I have a hard time understanding the everbank apologists.

First, the tax belongs to us. It can be used for whatever we deem to be a touristy sort of thing. It was said in a another thread that if we wanted to create the world's best library system in order bring in people from around the world to experience it...that's tourism. If we wanted to build the world's most fascinating blow up fun house...that's toursim. If we wanted to expand our park system to bring in more naturists...that's tourism.

Plus, there are other things these dollars can go to that are maybe a touristy thing...fixing beach erosion is one example.

This is an expense that all of us pay for but very few of us will actually experience. Not exactly a definition of a public good. Maybe, I can use the pool on a non-game day?

I know, we don't like to view expenses this way but I think it's time we looked at the long view of our purchases. The stadium was funded with bonds and backed up by the bed tax. As most of you know, it's like a mortgage. The cost of the scoreboard will end up being $80 to $90 million over the next 30 years. I believe it is a 30 year term.

And, this will end up being an direct expense to the city budget. The tax dollars that are now paying for the scoreboard were the funding mechanism for the maintenance, upkeep and remodeling of the stadium. I doubt, this will be the last time the stadium will need maintenance, upkeep and remodeling.

Where will that money come from now that it is set aside for the scoreboard? It will come directly from the city budget.

The bed tax is not magically free money any more than any other tax the city collects. They belong to our city not to just one facility leased by a private entity.

Right now, 2/3 of our 6 cent bed tax subsidizes Everbank.

That's not fair to every other project we could be accomplishing. 

To the person who said that the scoreboard belongs to us not the Jaguars...Do you think the Jaguars would be interested in buying the stadium? I'm going to guess probably not. Why do you think that is? Why wouldn't an NFL franchise want to own the real estate they are popularizing?

As an FYI, I don't blame Khan. I blame our city government that has continually funded the stadium to the determent of other "quality of life" projects.

[copperfiend]

But you also have to admit that it would be nice if the City showed the same (and even more responsible) judgement and speed when it comes to the other things that need to be done to improve our quality of life.

The boards and stadium upgrades were done quickly because Mark Lamping oversaw the construction. I'd give little credit to the city.

[copperfiend]

First, the tax belongs to us. It can be used for whatever we deem to be a touristy sort of thing. It was said in a another thread that if we wanted to create the world's best library system in order bring in people from around the world to experience it...that's tourism. If we wanted to build the world's most fascinating blow up fun house...that's toursim. If we wanted to expand our park system to bring in more naturists...that's tourism.

Plus, there are other things these dollars can go to that are maybe a touristy thing...fixing beach erosion is one example.

But much like the Folio, you are just listing out unrealistic alternatives. It makes it difficult to take their article seriously.