Monday, April 24, 2006
Stadium Authority: The Never Ending Story
Let us take another opportunity to restate the facts about Pittsburgh’s Stadium Authority, many of them provided by a report prepared for the State oversight board last year:
• The authority’s purpose was to own and manage Three Rivers Stadium, which was demolished five years ago
• Day-to-day operations are handled by two employees of the Sports and Exhibition Authority
• It collects parking proceeds from stadium area lots, receives interest on loans, receives proceeds from the sale of land between the two new stadiums, receives proceeds from a RAD grant, pays two bond issues through that RAD grant, and has a lease with PennDOT
The audit noted that “operationally, the Stadium Authority could be operated by another city authority”. Despite this recommendation, this shadow authority continues to exist, counting a former mayor, a city councilman, and a state representative among its board members. Its all too cozy relationship of having its chairman also serve as chair of the SEA is gone, following that member’s departure from both boards. However, a new chair will be named when the board reorganizes at the start of its fiscal year.
Ironically, one never hears any of the region’s advocates of streamlined government address the question of why this extraneous, shadowy entity still exists. So much for their commitment to transparent and accountable government.
There is no valid reason to have the Authority’s life extended. Its purpose for being has been eliminated. Its revenues and assets can be transferred to the Sports and Exhibition Authority and its small remaining bond debt paid off this year. Which begs the question; “Why is the Mayor so reluctant to ask the Board to vote to terminate themselves?”
• The authority’s purpose was to own and manage Three Rivers Stadium, which was demolished five years ago
• Day-to-day operations are handled by two employees of the Sports and Exhibition Authority
• It collects parking proceeds from stadium area lots, receives interest on loans, receives proceeds from the sale of land between the two new stadiums, receives proceeds from a RAD grant, pays two bond issues through that RAD grant, and has a lease with PennDOT
The audit noted that “operationally, the Stadium Authority could be operated by another city authority”. Despite this recommendation, this shadow authority continues to exist, counting a former mayor, a city councilman, and a state representative among its board members. Its all too cozy relationship of having its chairman also serve as chair of the SEA is gone, following that member’s departure from both boards. However, a new chair will be named when the board reorganizes at the start of its fiscal year.
Ironically, one never hears any of the region’s advocates of streamlined government address the question of why this extraneous, shadowy entity still exists. So much for their commitment to transparent and accountable government.
There is no valid reason to have the Authority’s life extended. Its purpose for being has been eliminated. Its revenues and assets can be transferred to the Sports and Exhibition Authority and its small remaining bond debt paid off this year. Which begs the question; “Why is the Mayor so reluctant to ask the Board to vote to terminate themselves?”
