NBA owners want a new arena. Taxpayers get the bill.

In this episode, I run the actual math on who benefits, who pays, and why decades of economic research keep reaching the same uncomfortable conclusion. These deals almost never pencil out the way the pitch deck promises.

One ask. I don't ask for donations. I don't want your money through any platforms. And I have no intention of taking advertising dollars, now or ever. What I do value is knowing these episodes are heard.

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For the written word, with deeper dives, more receipts, and the same voice, find me on Substack at @kbamericanrefugee

Stay awake out there.American Refugee

Want to dig deeper? Two of the best places to start:

• Brookings, "Sports, Jobs, & Taxes. Are New Stadiums Worth the Cost?" The clearest single explainer of why the standard "economic impact" pitch doesn't hold up, from one of the most credible policy institutions around. brookings.edu/articles/sports-jobs-taxes-are-new-stadiums-worth-the-cost/
• Journalist's Resource, "Sports stadiums and taxpayer financing. A primer and research roundup." A well-organized summary of the peer-reviewed research, including recent studies on NBA and NHL arenas and foot-traffic data. journalistsresource.org/economics/sports-stadium-public-financing/

Music is "Awaken Child" by Alex Kaplan. Listen and follow him wherever you stream music.