again I say nonsense, convention centers are a Godsend to a community...wrap up a few conventions, Motels, Hotels, restaurants, theaters, nightclubs, casinos, bring in tons of outside money. A professional team offers to do business in a city which will provide a venue suitable for their sport. Don't provide a facility...see ya, we'll choose a nearby city which appreciates what a professional sports team means to an area. The Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta because of a situation where one city appreciated them over another city. On the other hand, I am a mayor of a large metropolitan area, we have just erected a state of the art facility (see Indianapolis Hoosier Dome) and we are looking for an occupant (see colts)...both sides benefit from the deal...the team makes tons of money as does the city. I see no problem with the city building facilities to attract possible profitable ventures. Indy, for example, built facilities including a velodrome to attract the Pan-American games a few years ago.....cities spend zillions of dollars to attract the olympics....usually very profitable.....once in a while, not so profitable. You cannot be a humdrum person, company, city, state, or country and gain attention. A community that actively seeks new business and sources of revenue is likely to get them
If they are profitable hen they do not need public assistance (corporate welfare). There are not enough conventions these days to support all the convention centers across the country, many sit idle for months at a time.