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(11-17-2017 12:08 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  There's a quality of life and cultural factor that you get from professional sports that you don't get from adding a not all that large corporate office. I think there's also a respect/image factor with sports that can have a wide ranging effect both nationally and locally. What's all that worth? Hard to say, maybe nothing. I mean some people like living in Akron (and I'm not picking on them). But I think a lot of people prefer having the Reds/Bengals in town even if they frequently bring misery. Of course, not much unites a city across all races, religions and income classes than a local team competing for and winning a Championship.

Ah, the quality of life factor. Civic pride. That is what sports team owners turned to once their sports-teams-spur-the-local-economy theory was shot to hell. Move to a squishy standard. I'll buy it, but I don't see where the market failure is that would require government funding. Perhaps I just don't understand or appreciate what a big time city we'll become if we get that soccer team. Plus, we already have the Reds and the Bengals (and the Bearcats and the Musketeers), so the marginal improvement to civic pride from getting an MLS team has to be less than it would be in Akron. I wonder why Lindner isn't look there? Or even Newport, which is apparently willing to give him everything he wants? I guess we'll chalk it up to his philanthropic attitude to us Cincinnatians. Bless him.