In 2004, after 35 years, the Expos left. Baseball was no longer viable in Montreal. Is it again today?
Except for the Canadian, the history of professional sport in Quebec is not glorious. The Expos are gone. The Nordics, moved to Colorado. The Alouettes, in deficit for a long time, were given back to the league for a time by the Wetenhalls, for lack of buyers. What would happen to CF Montreal without Joey Saputo?
It is therefore not surprising that baseball promoters, worried about profitability, seek public funds for the construction of the stadium. A request that would amount to up to $ 300 million for a stadium of $ 560 million.
Funny calculation
Mr. Legault opened the door ajar if everything is done at zero cost to the state. The taxes and levies generated by the project would be donated to it. This is a very special way of calculating that the arrival of baseball would cost us nothing…
The Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, has a very different speech: baseball is welcome, but it must be self-financing. It thus affirms the position of many Quebecers.
Indeed, why subsidize billionaire promoters and millionaire players?
Labor shortage
Currently, the Quebec economy is flourishing. We are not short of jobs but of workers. There are 235,000 positions to fill. Several sectors are in shortage of labour, starting with the construction sector. The government can afford to be selective in the projects it supports. This must give priority to strategic sectors for our society. Baseball is not one!
There are many other ways to develop the Peel pelvis as well!
ability to attract
Some will invoke the fame that a professional sports team brings to a city. A kind of free marketing. But have we ever had the urge to visit Pittsburgh or Milwaukee by dint of hearing the names of the Pirates or the Brewers? A baseball club is not the Louvre as a capacity for attraction!
Mr. Legault often tells us, with good reason, that we have to listen to science. Numerous expert studies show that it is almost impossible to prove that sports organizations and their stadiums have a real economic impact on their environment. One of the reasons: this money would be spent on other types of leisure.
Half a team
Not to mention this: this is a minority stake for a half-club with decisions made in Tampa Bay. What would be our bargaining power once the stadium is built? We would end up with the possibility of constant blackmail from the club.
We are also far from the cut to the lips with regard to a shared custody. The league authorities have not yet approved this formula. In addition, players will surely want to be compensated for the inconveniences associated with splitting between two cities: housing costs, spouse’s employment, children in school, higher taxes in Quebec, etc.
We already have a stadium in Montreal. In any case, it is necessary to invest $500 million in it to prevent it from becoming a ruin of modern times. Some would say it’s only half-suited for baseball.
Half team, half stadium!
Guy Gagné
Retired education manager
