Time was when cities would fall over themselves trying to gift sports owners with a stadium.
The economics of that are getting harder. And/or more clearly perceived as not really in the city's interest.
AND getting harder to sell to taxpayers, who often have referendum rights on OK'ing the deal, as I believe is the case in SD.
Note that Kroenke is paying for a big portion of the new Rams stadium himself, tax breaks aside.
But Spanos wanted the old style deal. He wanted San Diego to build him a stadium, and they kept saying "no".
So he took his ball and went to LA.
He envied the idea of the Rams having that market, but there just aren't the numbers in LA to support him. With or without the Rams competing.
It's a case of stubbornness meeting reality. And reality inevitably winning.
I'm not sure where Dean goes from here. He's way out on a limb, and hacking at it furiously.
