Knats - Knoxville Against Taxpayer Stadiums

05/13/2023

From the article: "Instead of gaining money for the municipality, the research shows the Worcester stadium will result in a loss of $40 million to $60 million for the municipality while Truist Park’s losses will be between $100 million and $200 million."

While project promoters in cities such as Nashville, Tennessee, and Tempe, Arizona, continue to push the narrative that professional sports stadiums with surrounding developments are economic stimulators, a new report shows professional sports stadiums and the surrounding developments do not bring t...

03/06/2023

Does that $114 million include the $14 million in infrastructure to prepare the site for the construction? If not, that would be $128 million total construction cost. Still need to add financing costs. Since adoption of the initial plans for the taxpayer funded baseball stadium, interest rates on the $65 million bonds have almost doubled, adding $25 million more just in financing interest costs.

$114 million— That’s the estimated final cost of the multiuse stadium in downtown Knoxville that will host the Tennessee Smokies and other events.

12/06/2022

Knox County has tens of millions of dollars for a for-profit baseball stadium but cannot prioritize money for safe playgrounds to benefit children?

12/01/2022

The city of Knoxville says they "shouldn't have to use taxpayer dollars to solve problems created by a private business." Greyhound just needs to call a bus stop "civic furniture". The city of Knoxville is spending tens of millions of dollars to help private investors with their "civic furniture" baseball stadium.

04/14/2021

Sign Petition
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-taxpayer-funded-stadium
The Sports Authority board is scheduled to be appointed this month. Before any land is donated to the Sports Authority. How many millions will it take to move the utility lines below the proposed baseball stadium? Has the city & county conducted an independent environmental study to determine if the land would require a clean up from contamination?

04/13/2021

Another delay. Keep calling & emailing the Senate Finance Committee members below to vote NO on SB783.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Chair Watson - (615) 741-3227
Sen. Stevens - (615) 741-4576
Sen. Hensley - (615) 741-3100
Sen. Gardenhire - (615) 741-6682
Sen. Gilmore - (615) 741-2453
Sen. Haile - (615) 741-1999
Sen. Johnson - (615) 741-2495
Sen. Lundberg - (615) 741-5761
Sen. White - (615) 741-6853
Sen. Yager - (615) 741-1449
Sen. Yabro - (615) 741-3291

—No Senate Vote on Knoxville Ball Park Proposal Today—
In a surprising move moments ago, Tennessee Senate Finance, Ways and Means Chairman Bo Watson (R-Hixson) announced that his committee will not take any ruling action today.

Therefore, Senators will not vote as scheduled on legislation [SB 0773 / HB 1204] for the proposed $65 million minor league baseball stadium in downtown Knoxville, which University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd wants built with taxpayer funds for his Tennessee Smokies Double-A ball team.

SB0783 ACTIONS
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/20/2021 [Meeting time TBA]

04/12/2021

Call to Action! Today call & email the Senate Finance Committee members below. They will vote on SB783 tomorrow, April 13th, 8:30am CT. SB783 will reallocate state & local sales taxes to the bond holders of the for-profit baseball stadium.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Chair Watson - (615) 741-3227
Sen. Stevens - (615) 741-4576
Sen. Hensley - (615) 741-3100
Sen. Gardenhire - (615) 741-6682
Sen. Gilmore - (615) 741-2453
Sen. Haile - (615) 741-1999
Sen. Johnson - (615) 741-2495
Sen. Lundberg - (615) 741-5761
Sen. White - (615) 741-6853
Sen. Yager - (615) 741-1449
Sen. Yabro - (615) 741-3291