Someone with push forward and welcome this stadium into their community and that community will be laughing all the way to the bank 5-10 years from now. They will be glad they took a slight risk on a great deal while everyone else sat on their hands. In 5-10 years the original proposed site east of downtown will still be a dump and those in the area wish they would have taken the deal for a private entity to pump $60 million into it. But no, El Franco Lee turn it down because, although great for his constituents, their was nothing in it politically for him.

I’ve lived in many major cities in the US and this is the first one in which I’ve enjoyed the close proximity of many major entertainment venues to major roads that are easily navigable. NY had the subway to Madison Square Garden and Chicago had the L train to Wrigley Field, but other venues were more difficult to get to/from in those cities. We should welcome another “neighborhood” stadium and encourage smart planning that can enhance our quality of life. Just visit Wrigley Field to see the significant positive impact it has had on the surrounding area (and they play games 81 times a year).