Monday, October 6, 2014

Watchdog looks at the Dome

Watchdog Mississippi takes a look at JSU's proposed Taj Mahal, otherwise known as the $200 million domed stadium. The story reveals a few uncomfortable facts about the actual reality surrounding the proposal:


Jackson State University is planning a $200 million, 50,000-seat domed stadium, and, according to the school, state taxpayers will foot about $75 million of the cost.

The school says the state funding would come from general obligation bonds. It will also seek funding from the city of Jackson, Hinds County and from federal grants.



According to Neil deMause, editor of the Field of Schemes blog that explores the public financing of stadiums, Jackson State isn’t the only school seeking a domed stadium using taxpayer money.

“It’s no crazier than (the University of Nevada-Las Vegas) trying to build a domed 50,000-seat stadium,” said deMause, co-author of the book “Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit.”

“Which is to say, pretty crazy. I’m sure there are crazier ways to waste taxpayer funds, but I can’t think of any right now.”

JSU’s football attendance doesn’t justify it having the largest stadium in the state as it plays in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, which is smaller in terms of football scholarships, attendance and athletic department budgets. The University of Mississippi, Southern Miss and Mississippi State all play in the top tier of NCAA Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The good news is the JSU football program was ninth in football attendance in the FCS. The bad news? The Tigers drew 17,286 fans per game in Jackson Memorial Stadium, which seats more than 60,000 and was signed over to JSU in 2011....

The school says the university would use the stadium 45 nights out of the year; other events will account for 100 more nights. According to the school, those would include marching band competitions, concerts and even NBA and NFL preseason games. The last preseason NFL game in Jackson, which pitted the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, drew more than 58,000 fans in 2006.

But how many big music tours that would make a stop in Jackson? According to PollStar, the top 10 highest-grossing concert tours in 2013 stopped in an average of 39 cities. Even when two tours with 12 or fewer dates — such as the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake’s twinbill — are removed from the equation, the biggest-grossing tours only hit 46 markets. In the U.S. Census Bureau’s rankings of metropolitan statistical areas, the Jackson-Vicksburg-Brookhaven metro area had 576,382 in population, ranking it 93rd among U.S. metropolitan areas.

And the cost of tickets for those top 10 tours was $111 per ticket, a hard sell in a market with a median household income of $34,234. Rest of article.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

go look at the photos of the dome--the header computer generated photo of a basketball game-looks like 10k in attendance--and the people are white.

Dough Dumbbunnyham said...

Just as crazy as the plan to build a convention center. Ooops, they built that and it is bleeds red ink just as the experts in the field predicted.

Anonymous said...

I have nothing to say about the dome, but I MUST say that I tried to attend that NFL pre-season game. I must emphasize 'TRIED' because the traffic jam getting there was so bad I couldn't get there till the 3rd quarter and had given myself enough time to be there an hour and a half early!

NEVER AGAIN. I will not EVER try to attend a 'big' event in downtown Jackson simply because I think the city is so inept at traffic control that I wouldn't be able to get there anyway.

Anonymous said...

What JSU and Jackson really need is a new monorail.

woo hoo

Anonymous said...

Looks like its designed to meet Mayor Marys building requirements to me.

Anonymous said...

9:58--the current JSU stadium is not downtown.

BTW--Syracuse plays in the ACC--Florida State comes to play football there. UNC and Duke play basketball there.

I'm guessing that Prairie View and Alabama A&M don't bring the same numbers of fans as FSU, UNC, and Duk...

Anonymous said...

The only way I can see this project coming in at or below budget is to turn it over to an expert. David Watkins is my first choice.

Anonymous said...

I agree on the monorail but more specifically, a bullet Train from Gluckstadt Road with stops in Madison, Ridgeland, and North Jackson on the way to the Dome station. A bullet proof bullet train with a bullet proof walkway leading from the Dome station right into the Dome. Build it and they will come!

There is still plenty of property available for a large parking lot and train station out here in Gluckstadt.

Anonymous said...

The dome looks quite similar to the Georgia Dome. Since the ATL is building a new fleece (stadium) for Atlanta, why can't they move the Georgia Dome to Mississippi piece by piece. That way at least the waste of tax payer dollars can also prevent the filling of a landfill with tax dollars.

marymary said...

Dead. Solid. Perfect @ 2:41 PM.

Anonymous said...

looks like a good project for the JRA!

Anonymous said...

A monorail put North Haverbrook, Odgenville, and Brockway on the map!


seriously, can the state afford to waste money like this. There's a Republican governor- speak out against!

Anonymous said...

"the filling of a landfill with tax dollars. "

Fair warning: I am stealing this wonderful bit of poetry.

Anonymous said...

11:00 Stop picking nits. The traffic handling at Veterans Memorial Stadium by JPD was and embarrassing disaster (downtown or not). The way they handle parades, etc, downtown may be slightly better because more people are familiar with alternate routes downtown than around UMMC (which had all their roads and parking lots blocked during the Colts-Saints game).

Note that the Saints have not played one pre-season game here since that mess.

Anonymous said...

All you naysayers are a bunch of racial racists spreading your racism about race.

Anonymous said...

People forget that preseason game was here only because the Saints were displaced from their stadium due to a little storm named Katrina. Thats the only reason it happned.

Also, as far as entertainment, big names stopped coming to Jackson way back when because Jackson has one of the highest entertainment taxes in the country from what I have been told. Might be something worth investigating.

Anonymous said...

Build a casino with a stadium on Town Creek.....problem solved.

Anonymous said...

@822 The only color being talked about in this fiasco is GREEN.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.