More info on NU's Proposed White Stadium Deal

[Husky Alum]

Latest from the Boston Herald.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/college/football/view/20090803northeastern_city_discuss_stadium/srvc=sports&position=also

Personally, I still think a public-private partnership with the City of Boston is a bad idea. Also, the article appropriately states that White Stadium needs a TON of work.

I do dispute the claim that there's unlimited parking at White. I've been by there, and I don't see a ton of parking spots near the stadium. There's parking in Franklin Park, but nothing significant IIRC near the Stadium.

I operate under the mantra of "good business is good business and bad business is bad business."

This is terrible business.

[DFW HOYA]

Did anyone see the strange comment posted to the article? The writer wants 5% of each student's tuition to pay for the park?

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/college/football/view.bg?articleid=1188755&format=comments#CommentsArea

[danefan]

Did anyone see the strange comment posted to the article? The writer wants 5% of each student's tuition to pay for the park?

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/college/football/view.bg?articleid=1188755&format=comments#CommentsArea

I think they are just disgruntled about the tax-exempt status of the universities. Universities eat up tax base for cities.

[Husky Alum]

There's a proposal before the State House here to effectively have a tax on higher educational institutions in the Commonewealth - specifically endowments over $1 billion. NU wouldn't be impacted, and after the market crash, I don't think BU would be impacted either, but it's an interesting twist.

http://www.money-rx.com/blog/2008/05/ma-college-endowment-tax-debate-heats.html

There's also another proposal that would require "research" labs that result in patents for the universities that they profit from to have property taxes levied on them, as those research facilities are (according to some) deemed to be "for profit" since the patents can result in revenue for the institutions.

The bigger problem is that the Boston Globe ran a 7 part expose recently as to how poorly the City of Boston's high school sports programs funded and facilities are maintaned.

This morning the Mayor announced a campaign to raise the budget for HS sports from $4 million to $6.5 million through a charitable foundation headed by Suffolk Construction (gee, I wonder why one of the largest contractors in Boston would commit $1 million to an initiative which may result in construction projects).

The conjecture is that NU's "contributions" to White Stadium (which undoubtedly the work would be performed by Suffolk Construction) are part of this whole package.

See, you learn a lot about Boston politics on AGS.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

What, every public project doesn't have to go out to bid in Massachusetts?!!!! xeekx xrolleyesx xrotatehx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

Husky Alum, if this project goes forward, I guarantee the upkeep of the stadium by the city will be sub-standard within five years. NU will then have to pick up the pieces to keep the stadium from becoming a dump!!! I'd bet you a beer, but based on the usual glacial pace of projects in Boston, I figure I'll be pushing up daisies by then. ;) :p :p xpeacex By the morbidity tables I supposedly have another 25 years or so. What do you think? Shoot, by then you should have enough stashed away to build the Husky Alum Memorial Stadium. ;) :D Of course, it won't be within the city limits of Boston!! Got enough room on the estate out in the 'burbs? xlolx xlolx xlolx

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

[Husky Alum]

UNHAlum -

We're on the same page here, I don't want to give the Mayor a handout for anything.

I'm not against the commitment of funds for the stadium per se, but it appears to me we've done ZERO diligence on the project. So as of today, I'm anti-White.

You raise one MAJOR issue that I've asked about. I'm sure the lackeys hired by the city will think "screw it, if we don't do it, NU will" and that's a recipe for disaster.

We have a poster on Dieharddogs.com who says that we shouldn't worry about the potential parking at White Stadium. Uh, who on this board thinks that you need to have adequate safe parking near a football stadium for that little thing called TAILGATING. This poster claims that I'm making a big stink over tailgating so I can have a party before the game. Am I smoking something, or isn't that the point of going to a football game, the cameraderie and the tailgating?

This is NU Football, 2009.

[Dane96]

This morning the Mayor announced a campaign to raise the budget for HS sports from $4 million to $6.5 million through a charitable foundation headed by Suffolk Construction (gee, I wonder why one of the largest contractors in Boston would commit $1 million to an initiative which may result in construction projects).

See, you learn a lot about Boston politics on AGS.

Especially since his kids went to private school............