In 2012, the
Cubs shook down the city of Mesa, Arizona, by threatening to move their spring
training base to Florida. Voila. Mesa ponied up $100 million to keep the
snowbirds coming.
“The Cubs were
in a position to negotiate a very lucrative deal,” the Tribune quoted Mesa
mayor John Giles in a story yesterday about the deal, “and we’re not begrudging
that at all.” Wrong answer, Mr. Mayor.
The Cubs are a
business worth an estimated $2.5 billion.
If anyone can afford to pay for their own training facilities, these
guys can. Pro sports team have no right
to the public dime, not when money can go for public services, or nothing at
all; most people I know have an idea what to do with money not going to taxes. Come summertime, the Cubs’ complex is short
on people as temperatures hit 100 degrees.
Gosh, I wonder who pays to water the grass come June, July and August.
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