Cities want football teams. Owners want stadiums. In the past 20 years, over $7 billion in public money has gone towards financing the construction and renovation of NFL football stadiums. Owners argue that public investment in private football franchises will bring a boom of economic activity to local economies. But this argument doesn’t hold up. In reality, stadiums and their upkeep wind up costing cities millions of dollars. ..

Cities want football teams. Owners want stadiums. In the past 20 years, over $7 billion in public money has gone towards financing the construction and renovation of NFL football stadiums. Owners argue that public investment in private football franchises will bring a boom of economic activity to local economies. But this argument doesn’t hold up. In reality, stadiums and their upkeep wind up costing cities millions of dollars. ..