Good grief. The mutual bureaucratic, good-ol’-government- interventionist network back scratching has reached a new low in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA) is seeking an indefinite extension of parking use rights on the former Civic Arena site as the Pittsburgh Penguins, given development rights to the 28-acre tract, continue their sloth-like redevelopment.
Never mind that satisfying this preferred development partner itch now is in its second decade.
The original deal is set to expire June 14. And what a sweet little deal this continues to be: The Penguins are given parking revenue from spaces that are to be developed. It’s a continuing – and now long-running – disincentive to stall redevelopment for as long as possible.
The Penguins did a very good job of that over the last 11 years. That being the term of parking deal. And when push comes to threaten the Pens’ income stream? Why, the SEA, through an entreaty to the equally market-retarding city Urban Redevelopment Authority, seeks to remove any deadline strictures.
Cue the URA rubber stamp, in one form or another.
Oh, yes, this official and that official now point to “progress” finally being made at the site. That being construction underway on a big bank skyscraper for which taxpayers are being filched for a cool $10 million and yet another grease job that will give the City of No Economic or Population Growth yet another live music concert venue.
As if Pittsburgh doesn’t have enough of those, right?
Being bottom line kind of folks, we are forced to reiterate this one for the umpteenth time:
Had government entities not bestowed Favored Corporate Taxpayer Shakedown Status on the Penguins when the NHL franchise wailed and flailed and then received not only public money to build a new hockey arena but gratis development rights to its old publicly built home …
And had government entities not continued to believe they can command the marketplace to “renaissance” and placed development rights of the old Civic Arena site parcel out to public bid …
… it’s mostly likely that these 28 acres would have been fully developed by now. And privately. And to the great benefit of the myriad private developers and the taxpayer kitty.
But, no, that would have made too much sense for Pittsburgh’s interventionist marketplace commanders, whose proverbial same-old, same-old public policy prescriptions invariably result in the same-old, same-old faux “progress.”
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
