Rich keep getting richer...

I've been reading these various articles in the Seattle PI about the Key Arena and how the Sonics want out because the lease is bad and there isn't enough space and it isn't fancy enough for them and they are losing money and blah blah blah. And as I read the article I just got more and more appalled. Now, honestly, I've only once lived in a place with a 'world class' team. A team that actually went some place and that's when I was living in California. I think one of those years the LA Lakers went to the finals (and maybe won I don't know.. Although I do remember rioting so maybe they won). I digress, I don't follow sports. So back to this article, it was talking about how the cities (or states) provide the funding for these facilities based on bonds and whatnot and yet the sports teams get to keep most of the money. Frequently they don't pay it back. How is that okay? (Oh and if someone comments about the whole how a city benefits with sports teams rhetoric because of sales tax and whatevermy head may explode). I can see the Key arena (and by extension then arenas) benefit because there is plenty of other things to do in that space during the off years. Hockey and basketball sharing a facility. Concerts during off times all that. But a baseball and football field? Each one is for one thing only and not used for other purposes. The whole thing is just nuts. I can appreciate the need for professional level sports. I don't watch it but I get the whole cultural thing but I sure as heck can't get behind cities and states having to pay of multimillions of dollars in construction costs for something that benefits the few.