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Yes…no...yes to public-financed sports

Former Padres head Lucchino seeks taxpayer funds for baseball team

Larry Lucchino, former president of the Padres, was a driving force in the massive subsidies that built Petco Park and lined John Moores's pockets. Earlier, Lucchino had also loved subsidies when he pushed for a Baltimore stadium.

Larry Lucchino

Then Lucchino became chief executive of the Boston Red Sox. On July 13, 2010, the Wall Street Journal, an enlightened opponent of taxpayer-financed stadiums, ran an editorial lauding the Red Sox for bringing fans to its 100-year-old stadium without taking "a dime of taxpayer money." The team has shown how dishonest the argument for subsidized stadiums is, said the Journal. Then it quoted Lucchino: "We knew the perils of asking for public money," he said." Fans "get annoyed when teams get taxpayers to build a stadium and then raise ticket and concession prices for the very people who paid for it" (which is exactly what the Padres did).

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But in late February of this year, Lucchino and some investors bought a minor league team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, an affiliate of the big league Boston team that Lucchino heads. This month, the new owners of the Pawtucket team announced their strategy. They will build an $85 million stadium in Providence, but want a $4 million a yearsubsidy from Rhode Island taxpayers. This would be a gift that keeps on giving. The $4 million would come in every year for 30 years, for a total of $120 million.

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Larry Lucchino, former president of the Padres, was a driving force in the massive subsidies that built Petco Park and lined John Moores's pockets. Earlier, Lucchino had also loved subsidies when he pushed for a Baltimore stadium.

Larry Lucchino

Then Lucchino became chief executive of the Boston Red Sox. On July 13, 2010, the Wall Street Journal, an enlightened opponent of taxpayer-financed stadiums, ran an editorial lauding the Red Sox for bringing fans to its 100-year-old stadium without taking "a dime of taxpayer money." The team has shown how dishonest the argument for subsidized stadiums is, said the Journal. Then it quoted Lucchino: "We knew the perils of asking for public money," he said." Fans "get annoyed when teams get taxpayers to build a stadium and then raise ticket and concession prices for the very people who paid for it" (which is exactly what the Padres did).

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But in late February of this year, Lucchino and some investors bought a minor league team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, an affiliate of the big league Boston team that Lucchino heads. This month, the new owners of the Pawtucket team announced their strategy. They will build an $85 million stadium in Providence, but want a $4 million a yearsubsidy from Rhode Island taxpayers. This would be a gift that keeps on giving. The $4 million would come in every year for 30 years, for a total of $120 million.

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