Letters To the Editor

Sterling

Stadium Is No Grand Slam

A year ago, and after careful consideration of the economic costs and benefits, the Arlington County Board sent a letter to the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority asking that all three sites in Arlington be removed from consideration. Before that, Fairfax County also asked to be removed from consideration for similar reasons. If Arlington and Fairfax can't make a baseball stadium work, how can Loudoun?

The following are reasons to oppose a publicly funded baseball stadium in Loudoun County:

• Corporate welfare as tax dollars would subsidize a baseball stadium for rich owners and players.

• All taxes collected at the stadium would go to pay off stadium costs instead of to the general fund.

• Private industry investment would generate more revenue for the county and the state than would a baseball stadium.

• Additional taxes may include admission tax to the stadium and movies, a hotel tax, and a rental car tax.

• The ballpark could be rented for other uses, such as rock concerts.

• Traffic. No Metrorail to Dulles International Airport until 2012. Metrorail to Ashburn is not planned.

• Road, security and water and sewer costs outside the stadium would be borne by Loudoun County and federal taxpayers.

• Increased air pollution and other environmental damage. For the proposed Arlington stadium, the Virginia Attorney General's Office rendered an opinion stating that the VBSA is exempt from the requirement to file an environmental impact statement. The AG's office refuses to make the opinion public on the ground that it would violate the attorney-client privilege.

• Borrowing for the stadium would mean less money for schools, roads, parks and recreation.

• The stadium would need substantive renovations before the 30-year bonds mature. Where will this money come from?

• The Virginia Baseball Club would pay for as much as one-third of the stadium. Other businesses, such as AOL and the Old Dominion Brewery, paid 100 percent of the costs of their buildings.

• Most of the jobs created would be seasonal, low-paying, low-skill jobs for 81 home games a year.

• Most economists believe that a publicly funded baseball stadium is a bad deal for taxpayers.

Baseball is not going to make Loudoun County major league. If being the home to AOL, Old Dominion Brewery and historic Waterford doesn't make Loudoun County major league, having a baseball stadium certainly will not.

Les Garrison

John Antonelli

Emily Samaha

Arlington