[Senator Clay Davis]

I've said from the beginning: Support infrastructure is fine, paying for the building is not. And I suspect I represent the majority opinion on that one. I'd be shocked if any more than 30% of people would actually support giving them free land or paying for the building. Oil is going down the crapper and budgets are going to have to be tightened. Public money to a sports arena is going to be a non-starter for most people. Again, virtually every study done that was not done by the ownership group trying to promote its agenda says public money to sports arenas is a spectacular waste of money. As taxpayers, we should demand efficient use of our money, and not giving it to what has been proven to be a bad idea.

Sports franchises provide escapism and entertainment, but that's it. That should not be subsidized by the public, or should we do the same to movie theatres? Sports franchises are important to a degree, but not important enough to justify getting a taxpayer subsidy.

This is a profitable team, it is not shedding money. It wants a building for free, and their ultimate goal in doing so is to make more money with more luxury boxes and fewer but more expensive seats. The general public does not win with a new arena it has to subsidize and then has less access to. I expect them to try, and ultimately fail, to get any money. And then the fun will really start.