Las Vegas ballpark pitch revives debate over public funding for sports stadiums

By GABE STERN
Associated Press/Report for America

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A proposal to help finance a new ballpark for Major League Baseball’s Athletics in Las Vegas has revived nationwide debates about public funding for private stadiums. And that has pitted Nevada’s powerful tourism industry and labor unions against some progressive groups, raising concerns about ceding tax revenue when services such as public schools are funded below the national average. Proponents say the proposal could create new jobs, increase the state’s general revenue and further diversify the city’s casino and gaming-based economy. But skeptics warn of empty promises, citing growing evidence that minimal dollars generated from the new stadium would not otherwise be spent among nearby resorts and restaurants.