Are You Okay Investing $233 Million For Lot J?

[Adam White]

You can contrast this (if you like) with the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. It's a state-of-the-art stadium that is widely considered the best football stadium in the UK (and maybe the world, at the moment). In fact, it will host the NFL. Anyway, it cost about £1 billion and was paid for by the club. Actually, the cost was for the entire "Northumberland Development Project" which included other amenities - such as a supermarket, sports facilities, a hotel, public spaces, etc.

Just what I was talking about, these top tier cities like London getting sports infrastructure deals that are fully privately financed, with no taxpayer money involved.

I think it's a cultural thing, too. Plus, the nature of the sport is way different. As opposed to a league with x number of teams that awards franchises, there are 20 teams in the top league, but the bottom three drop out and three are promoted from the next lower league each season. Clubs move up and down the pyramid over time. You could technically start a team and eventually work your way up to the top league (more or less). And London currently has five clubs in the top league and four clubs in the tier below.

That said, I am sure some incentives were offered or breaks given here or there. I'd be shocked to learn Tottenham didn't benefit at all from either funds or concessions. But the overwhelming majoriity of the funding was secured by the club.

As an aside, West Ham were basically given the Olympic stadium and the public paid to adapt it for soccer. So there's always that...

[Kiva]

I'd love to open a small business in Jacksonville and get the city to pay 51% of the cost. Oh, wait, to do that I'd have to take Lenny on a free trip in my private jet to show him similar operations. I don't have a private jet so I guess I don't get handouts. I must be a loser!

[thelakelander]

Makes one imagine what the Landing would have been if a fraction of the city's time and commitment were involved that its smaller, $75 million in city money replacement is receiving. Yet these very same people were livid about Alvin Brown's $12 million proposed dramactic upgrade. My how times have changed.

[CityLife]

Would be hilarious if someone with video editing skills created a Shad Khan version of this video laughing about how he's been able to get the City and Curry to do whatever he wants. If well written, it would probably do more to draw attention to this than any other form of lobbying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FMlsoUbf_o

[bl8jaxnative]

JAX put $50 million, in 2019 dollars, into The Landing when it was built. 

Maybe this time, the $50M won't be a waste of money.

Probably not.

So it goes.

[thelakelander]

JAX put $50 million, in 2019 dollars, into The Landing when it was built.

More reason to not waste the investment. Paying $22 million to tear down a structurally sound $50 million investment, to end up with a dirt lot is about as foolish as it gets.

[jaxlongtimer]

Nate Monroe nails it once again and echos many of the points of my prior post including prioritizing Khan over other City needs and the schools and him getting both property tax and federal income tax waivers.  This would be a high end scandal in any other community.  Why are Jax citizens so compliant?  Doesn't bode well for the future of our City and could actually diminish the Jags future fandom as our overall quality of life investment drops so low it drives growth away (see big population moves to surrounding counties due to Duval school concerns).  Khan can easily just move the team in such case while most of us residents will be left holding the bag he leaves behind.

Must reading!
https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190802/nate-monroe-city-hall-inc

[Charles Hunter]

"It's easier here" - backroom deals, graft, cronyism, purchasing politicians, public funds for private profit, and the like.

Properly funding infrastructure and schools - not so much.

[MusicMan]

Once again I'll remind everyone here that Shad Khan does not even pay taxes (i.e. reside)  in Duval County.

Nate Monroe's column is spot on. There is a lot in there too. It's piling up on Lenny's door....

[Fallen Buckeye]

Unsurprisingly, my petition asking city council to reject the proposed incentives has not had much traction yet. Based on the conversations I've had with random strangers, it seems that most people seem to think that this is a net positive despite the terrible terms. Any suggestions are welcome, too.

You can sign the petition here: http://chng.it/SJHYPdFv

[Keith-N-Jax]

Get the cranes rolling while we hand out Kleenex to those who need them

[pierre]

Nate Monroe nails it once again and echos many of the points of my prior post including prioritizing Khan over other City needs and the schools and him getting both property tax and federal income tax waivers.  This would be a high end scandal in any other community.  Why are Jax citizens so compliant?  Doesn't bode well for the future of our City and could actually diminish the Jags future fandom as our overall quality of life investment drops so low it drives growth away (see big population moves to surrounding counties due to Duval school concerns).  Khan can easily just move the team in such case while most of us residents will be left holding the bag he leaves behind.

Must reading!
https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190802/nate-monroe-city-hall-inc

Are you suggesting Jacksonville is the only city/county that bends over backwards for sports owners and enters into questionable deals?

Perhaps you are not up to speed on the situation with the Marlins new stadium in Miami, or the Vikings in Minneapolis.

Also, you are suggesting that quality of life will suffer so much from Lot J that the Jaguars will lose fans and Khan moves the team?

That is a new one.

[Kerry]

Unsurprisingly, my petition asking city council to reject the proposed incentives has not had much traction yet. Based on the conversations I've had with random strangers, it seems that most people seem to think that this is a net positive despite the terrible terms. Any suggestions are welcome, too.

You can sign the petition here: http://chng.it/SJHYPdFv

The conclusion I have come to is that I have cut my loses and move.  If Jax isn't providing the lifestyle I want then it is up to me to vote with my feet.  I've been taking the wife every few weeks to Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia to plant the seeds of relocating.  Seeing Chattanooga, Greenville, and Knoxville has opened her eyes to whole new type of city.  Jax can woller in their mess without me.

[Peter Griffin]

The conclusion I have come to is that I have cut my loses and move.  If Jax isn't providing the lifestyle I want then it is up to me to vote with my feet.  I've been taking the wife every few weeks to Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia to plant the seeds of relocating.  Seeing Chattanooga, Greenville, and Knoxville has opened her eyes to whole new type of city.  Jax can woller in their mess without me.

Yup! If you want a downtown urban environment, Jax ain't it. Hasn't been for 40+ years. Might not be for many more.

I've found a niche I like a lot in Riverside after many years of living on the suburban sprawling expanse of the Beach/Hodges area to be nearer to UNF. I found what I like in Jax and make Jax work for me. I could live elsewhere, but the math adds up for me to stay here. Would I have picked it? Maybe not. Am I here now? Yep. Do I have a reason to leave? Nope. But that's my experience, yours is very obviously different.

I presume the lifestyle you want is one where you live downtown and can walk to work and a grocer and a bar and a restaurant and maybe need a car for your family when you need it. Is that close?

[Tacachale]

Unsurprisingly, my petition asking city council to reject the proposed incentives has not had much traction yet. Based on the conversations I've had with random strangers, it seems that most people seem to think that this is a net positive despite the terrible terms. Any suggestions are welcome, too.

You can sign the petition here: http://chng.it/SJHYPdFv

The conclusion I have come to is that I have cut my loses and move.  If Jax isn't providing the lifestyle I want then it is up to me to vote with my feet.  I've been taking the wife every few weeks to Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia to plant the seeds of relocating.  Seeing Chattanooga, Greenville, and Knoxville has opened her eyes to whole new type of city.  Jax can woller in their mess without me.

Bye