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sports Diamars 29 maart 2022

Taxpayer tab is $850M for Bills’ new stadium, NY gov says

(AP) — The proposed erating subsidies the state
$1.4 billion new home for will commit to game-day re-
the Buffalo Bills comes lated and other expenses.
with a record $850 million
taxpayer price tag in an Hochul defended the agree-
agreement reached Mon- ment by noting the state’s
day to secure the fran- share covers less than half of
chise’s future in the region the costs of the project, while
for the next 30-plus years. the entire taxpayer portion
comes in at 60.7%.
Gov. Kathy Hochul com-
pleted seven months of ne- Though the Bills draw fans
gotiations by announcing from across the western New
an agreement preserving the York region and southern
Bills presence in her home- Ontario, they play in one of
town, while also calling it a the NFL’s smallest markets.
deal that “made sense” in the Buffalo also lacks a major
return on public investment. corporate base from which to
generate sponsorship dollars
New York will commit $600 in comparison to other fran-
million in funds in a deal chises.
reached in time for Hochul
to include it in the state bud- Anticipating pushback for
get, which by law must be ap- committing taxpayer dollars
proved by Friday. Erie Coun- to a private entity, Hochul
ty will commit $250 million public burden is considered Bills current home still faces noted the state’s commit-
toward the project, while the largest ever for an NFL “We’re very excited about several hurdles with both the ment will be returned within
eventually relinquishing con- facility. this. It’s a great day for west- state and county required to 22 years through player sala-
trol to a newly established ern New York and I’m re- approve the funding. ries in tourism tax dollars,
state-appointed commission. The NFL and the Bills agreed ally proud to negotiate such which directly generate $27
to commit $550 million in fi- a good deal for the state and The entirety of the agree- million in annual state in-
The taxpayer commitment nancing, with team owners our many, many fans,” Ho- ment is not complete. The come. Unlike the New York
falls below the 73% share the Terry and Kim Pegula’s share chul said during a teleconfer- parties have yet to negotiate Giants and Jets, who play in
state and county had previ- coming in at $350 million for ence call, which she closed by the terms of a 30-year lease New Jersey, the Bills are the
ously committed to the Bills a facility projected to open in saying, “Go Bills.” which would include a non- NFL’s only franchise based in
to build, maintain and up- time for the 2026 season. The relocation clause with the New York.
grade the the team’s existing Bills would be responsible The proposed 60,000-plus Bills facing a penalty should
facility, now called Highmark for covering any construction seat, open-air facility to be they default on the deal. The Hochul also cited projections
Stadium, which opened in over-runs under the pro- built on county-owned land taxpayer commitment also that stadium construction
1973. But the $850 million posed deal. across the street from the does not include annual op- will create 10,000 union jobs.

Trackhouse succeeded in build of new-look winning race team

(AP) — Ross Chastain was Ganassi and negotiated the house was never a serious conversation. I think that you’re prime to
testing in Delaware when purchase of Ganassi’s entire question to Marks. He kept “Ross didn’t really know breakthrough. I want to put
he received an ominous NASCAR organization. both Chastain and crew chief which way was up. ‘Am I you on a two-year deal so
text from a friend: ‘Justin Phil Surgen, getting himself a part of this? Do I have a you’ve got some job security.
bought Chip’s,’ wrote the Marks, who just turned 41 a turn-key complete second future with the company? This is your race team. Let’s
friend. on Friday, has flipped upstart team in his purchase. What’s the plan here?’” Marks go win.’”
Trackhouse into a playoff- recalled. He said that only
“I said, ‘I hope you mean bound Cup team. Of the 128 Trackhouse em- 12 people had been privy to Ganassi congratulated Track-
Doritos,’” deadpanned Chas- ployees, all but 13 are re- the shock purchase prior to house and his former driver
tain. Chastain, in his sixth race maining Ganassi employees. its announcement and that with his traditional “#ilike-
since Ganassi’s 20-year- Chastain needed to be patient winners” social media post.
He had finally landed his old operation was reshaped “The pitch was, ‘Let’s build as the transition began. He’d given Chastain his first
dream job with a top Cup into Trackhouse, became a a great team together, let’s do big breaks, only to have a
team and the eighth gen- first-time winner alongside all of this together. That was “The dust is settled, we know sponsorship deal go belly-up.
eration watermelon farmer the organization Sunday by the ’inside of the building sort of which way is up and The FBI convicted DC Solar
from Florida felt he’d at last bashing and banging his way pitch,’” Marks said of his day we’re planning for what’s of operating a billion-dollar
become a serious contender around the final lap of over- of sale speech to the Ganassi next, I called him,” Marks Ponzi scheme — a decep-
to win races at Chip Ganassi time at the Circuit of the organization. added. “I was up in Michigan, tion so steep it nearly bank-
Racing. Americas road course. and I called him, and I told rupted the race organization
“The ‘outside of the build- him that ‘I’ve always been a and ended Chastain’s dream-
Then in came Justin Marks, He sat at the Dover Motor ing pitch’ is this sport is ready huge believer in your talent. come-true.
one of a many young new Speedway test last June trying for challengers. It’s ready for
owners on the NASCAR to get any information possi- disruptors,” he added. “It’s
grid. Marks had Pitbull as his ble on what was happening to ready for people to come in
partner at Trackhouse Rac- his place of employment, and and challenge the status quo
ing and they fielded one car then the 29-year-old finally and how we do things, have
in 2021, for popular Mexican texted Marks. some fun, look good, try to
driver Daniel Suarez. be fast, win races, have a good
“I want this,” Chastain said time doing it.”
Marks refused to jump into he wrote. “Once I sent the
the bidding wars for the text ... I’ve done all I can do. He didn’t need to convince
charter he needed to en- He knows.” Chastain, but found the
sure Trackhouse’s stability. driver somewhat freaking
Instead, he just cold-called The second seat at Track- out when they had their first