Regarding the controversial topic of new stadiums, Rendell responded
to critics of state-assisted stadium construction plans that siphon
money away from education and other cash-strapped programs, by pointing
out that “you can finance new stadiums without denting your
operating or capital budget monies. You can raise car rental taxes
for instance, and funnel the revenue to the new stadium construction.”
Rendell also fielded questions from the audience, deferring franchise-specific
questions to Phillies and Eagles representatives who accompanied
him, among them David Montgomery, President of the Phillies, and
Fred Shabel, Vice Chairman of Comcast-Spectacor. Responding to a
suggestion that the new Phillies stadium be built in Center City
given all the economic benefits its presence portends for city businesses,
Rendell agreed but noted that Mayor John Street’s proposal
for a stadium site at 12 th and Vine Streets had generated considerable
uproar among Center City residents. In addition, such a large-scale
construction would take a long time to complete in Center City,
and the Phillies had expressed an unwillingness to wait a long time
to get a new stadium operational.
The presence of sports franchises in a city also provides a platform
for equal, continuing social discourse. “The
richest man in Philadelphia can have a conversation about sports
with a shoe shiner, and the shoe shiner’s opinions will be
every bit as important, because it gives them a sense of place;
a common bond that is wrought by a common love for the city’s
sports franchises.”
Rendell concluded by noting that the importance of sports franchises
to the livelihood and sustenance of cities is not limited to their
contribution to the financial security of cities, and the thriving
of clusters of businesses and their auxiliaries. “For a city
to have continued vitality,” he said, “the city has to
have an incredibly high and diverse quality of life. Sports franchises
are an essential part of that quality of life.”
The Law & Entrepreneurship Lecture series was established
by the Ronald Rutenberg Fund.
