samhexum

Buffalo Bills’ billionaire owner set to get $1B in public funds for new stadium The billionaire owner of the Buffalo Bills appears poised to get a record amount of public funding for a new stadium in what critics are calling an unprecedented giveaway. Gov. Kathy Hochul — a Buffalo native — is expected to announce in the next several days a deal in which New York State and Erie County agree to pay nearly $1 billion toward a new $1.4 billion stadium that will be located next to the current one, sources close to the situation told The Post. That would be the most public money ever spent on building a US stadium, University of Michigan sports management professor Mark Rosentraub told The Post. The proposal for public funding would be part of the New York budget that needs to be submitted by April 1 to the state Legislature. If it passes, the stadium, which would be designed by an architectural firm called Populous, would be open as soon as 2026. Bills Owner Terry Pegula — a fracking mogul worth more than $7 billion — had threatened to move the team from Buffalo if he didn’t get public funding to build a new stadium. But there was debate, as The Post reported in September, about whether he was bluffing, considering how closely he’s associated with Western New York. A veteran New York government lobbyist says it appears government officials bought into the threat — even if it was a bluff. “Everyone in government folded like a cheap suit,” the lobbyist, who didn’t want to be named and isn’t involved in the negotiations, told The Post. “I am stunned.” The lobbyist said it appears negotiations have happened behind closed doors, the lobbyist said. The lobbyist slammed the idea of Pegula’s team getting a billion dollars in public funding when there are more pressing needs like universal child care. Jim Wilkinson, a spokesman for Pegula Sports Entertainment, told The Post that an agreement isn’t final and that there was still work to do to seal the deal. Still, he said: “The governor has done an outstanding job in getting everyone to the table together, and we continue to make strong progress.” A spokesperson for Hochul said in response to a query from The Post: “Any reports of details are premature. As we have said repeatedly, negotiations are ongoing.” Rosentraub, the Michigan professor and expert on public financing of stadiums, said the apparent New York deal is an outlier compared to other recent stadium projects, such as the Las Vegas Raiders domed stadium that costs taxpayers $750 million. “The new stadium allows Vegas to host 13 to 15 events a year like concerts it couldn’t host before because of the summer heat,” said Rosentraub, who worked on the Vegas project. He said because of those events, there was some rationale for public investment. But he said it’s hard to see the public benefit to a new Bills stadium, which won’t be domed — and therefore won’t be a hot ticket during Buffalo’s brutal winters. “If you say the only benefit is keeping the team that’s a tough one to justify,” he said. The new stadium would be built next to the current one — which opened in 1973 — in the Buffalo suburbs. There was discussion about building a new stadium in downtown Buffalo so it could revitalize the city. That’s what happened in cities like Minneapolis and Indianapolis, though they were expensive public projects. “When making an investment in a stadium in a suburb it’s hard to find the public benefit,” Rosentraub said. “Without a realistic development strategy, I’d argue this funding is quite unusual.” He said Hochul and her team would’ve been better-served offering perhaps $1 billion toward a new stadium — but only if it were to be build in downtown Buffalo and only if Pegula would’ve at least matched the public funds. Pegula has argued that he’s already spent hundreds of millions of dollars in developments for Western New York — he also owns the Buffalo Sabres hockey team — and was reluctant to plow more than a billion dollars more of his own money into a new stadium for the Bills. He let it be known it made little financial sense to spend $1 billion himself on a stadium in Buffalo because it is just too small a market, with a metropolitan area of a little more than a million people. https://nypost.com/2022/03/11/buffalo-bills-billionaire-owner-set-to-get-1b-in-public-funds-for-new-stadium/

Sure it is. How about: two 2-game series vs. each team in the other league = 60 five games vs. the other 10 teams in your league = 50 (alternate who gets the extra home game each year) 13 games between each team within a division = 52 (alternate who gets the extra home game each year) This way you have an odd number of games against every other team in your league, which makes it easy to settle head to head tiebreakers. You get 2 home & road series vs. each team in your division and 1 each against everyone else. You still get more than twice as many games vs. each team in your division than anyone else, which keeps the division races meaningful and 1.7 times as many games within your league than against the other, which keeps the wildcard races meaningful, especially since every team in each league plays the exact same schedule versus the other league. Travel can be kept to a minimum by making sure teams play as many games as possible in close markets back-to-back: NYY-NYM-Bos, Cubs-Sox (can be attached to Minn-Mil) , Det-Tor, LAA-LAD-SD, Atl-Miami-Tampa, Balt-Wash-Phil, KC-StL, Oak-SF, Clev-Cin-Pitt, Hous-Tex, Ariz-Col Only Seattle doesn't have a geographic partner.

Don't I know it!!!

Happy 115th, Dad!!!

I hope you like this provision I negotiated: beginning in 2023, the schedule will be adjusted such that every team plays all 29 opponents in each season. The exact format is to be determined, but those games will come attached to a decrease in the number of intra-divisional games teams will play. Previously, teams played 19 games per season against all four of their divisional opponents.

SEE DINO ARRESTED: https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/02/08/5992990708842709726/640x360_MP4_5992990708842709726.mp4

Tarek & Christina have announced that next week's season finale will be the series finale. 👀😭😱😥👀

The Bronx isn’t burning but it is on fire with new luxury buildings boasting sky-high Manhattan-like rents — some over $7,000 per month. The borough’s newest building, Third at Bankside, has several two- and three-bedroom market-rate apartments that can set you back over $5,000. There’s even a stunning spread with two baths and a huge private terrace available for $7,334 for a one-year lease or $7,434 for 18 months — and already has at least one applicant craving the rooms with lots of views. The 25-story building is being developed in Mott Haven by Brookfield as part of its seven-tower Bankside project that sits along the shoreline of the Harlem River and straddles the Third Avenue bridge to Manhattan. But before you cry foul, the high comes with the low. The developers are also creating plenty of affordable rentals (90% to 130% of AMI which is an income range of $61,543 – $167,570) for those that qualify through the city website. These studios rent for $1,795 per month, one-bedrooms for $2,200 to $2,350 and two bedrooms for $2,695 to $2,900. an absolute pittance! There are other perks as well: All new renters get two months of free rent and free access to amenities that include a “creative makerspace,” resident lounges, a kid’s playroom, test kitchen and outdoor BBQ area plus a fully loaded gym that also overlooks the river — all of which normally costs $125 per month. To support the under market prices, the other residents are paying up. With its model units open and tours underway, market rate studios start at $2,900, one-bedrooms at $3,100, two-bedrooms at $4,000 and three-bedrooms at $5,000. Some two-bedrooms have two bathrooms plus a den that could easily serve as an office or third bedroom and start at $5,029 for an 18-month lease. While that’s pretty penny for the historically price-competative Bronx, try finding that much space in the city at that price point. There’s also a three-bedroom with two-baths on the eighth floor that faces away from the river and a relative bargain at $5,025 for 18 months. The leasing website offers multiple options to check out all the floor plans and flexible terms. “There is a lot of interest for the large apartments,” said Charles Howe, vice president, development, Brookfield Properties. Some couples are leasing two-bedrooms and using the extra space for the now pandemic-necessary home office or future nursery, he said, while singles want to share them with a roommate — especially those with two bathrooms. Seven of the units have private terraces and include a dramatic 23rd-floor, one-bedroom, one-bath apartment facing away from the river that rents for a whopping $5,126 on an 18-month lease while its neighboring studio commands $4,382 for a 17-month lease but leaps to $5,077 for 18 months. A splashy retreat in the form of a pool with lounge furniture — another amenity for residents. The team expects interest from those who work at the local hospitals and courthouse as well as at Yankee Stadium — perhaps even from a Yankee who wants a brag-worthy pied-a-terre. For someone with deep pockets or a sugar daddy, that priciest three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad on the 18th floor of the project’s first 25-story building is hard to resist. Its huge, sundrenched outdoor terrace has sweeping views across the city from Long Island City to the toothpick towers of Billionaire’s Row and even the top of the George Washington Bridge. Another private terrace also wraps around a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the ninth floor that has an 18-month rent of $6,160 per month while its neighboring two-bedroom has a very long terrace for a mere $5,408 for 18 months. Sitting on sheltered paved courtyards next to the Third Ave. Bridge, the entire project is just a seven-minute walk to Manhattan’s 125th Street 4,5 and 6 trains or the 6 train at E. 138th Street in the Bronx. According to Brookfield executives, the mostly open plan apartments also have slightly more elbow room than comparable new rentals such as their own along the Brooklyn waterfront, while the oversized windows — some are floor to ceiling and even wrap some corners — make the units feel even bigger. Every apartment in the LEED silver building designed by Hill West Architects also comes with built-in window shades and deep closets. Some have entry alcoves and walk-in closets, giving them a roomier feel. Blomberg appliances include a stacked washer/dryer (often in its own closet), a dishwasher and microwave, while the stoves have gas burners for cooking — and are among the last apartments allowed to hook up under the city’s new anti-gas rules. This bedroom has a view of the water and is the size of a shoebox!. Counters are dark grey Caesarstone with grey cabinetry accented by light wood or open shelves along with stainless sinks and refrigerators. Bathrooms have either no-lip stone and tiled showers or a bathtub — and all have deep, light wood drawers and black Caesarstone counters. The pet-friendly building allows multi-pets and large dogs and even has a dog-washing station for when it snows or that walk on the new esplanade turns into a swim in the river. When it opens later this year, the outdoor pool will have a separate membership fee and an indoor pool will be located in another Bankside tower. Valet parking is also available for $295 to $395 per month.

MLB, MLBPA Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement The new CBA will cover the 2022-26 seasons, and the transaction freeze associated with the lockout is expected to be lifted as soon as the agreement is formally ratified (let the feeding frenzy begin!), which ESPN’s Jeff Passan characterizes as a mere formality at this point. The Score’s Travis Sawchik tweets that the proposal passed by a vote of 26 to 12 among the MLBPA’s 30 team representatives and eight executive subcommittee members. What to know and what's next? Opening Day moves to April 7 and a full 162-game schedule will be played Spring training camps open with a March 11 voluntary report date and March 13 mandatory date Spring training games start March 17 Free agency to begin immediately once CBA is ratified Playoffs expand to 12 teams, beginning this season The National League adopts the designated hitter starting this season CBT expected to begin at $230 million and grow to $244 million Which side made out better? Do both sides have reason to be happy? Bradford Doolittle: The owners got an expanded postseason format, preserved the basic economic structures that loomed over the last couple of CBAs and have more leeway change on-the-field rules. In other words, the owners won. Sure, the players received a couple of mechanisms to get more money to younger players. The tweaking of CBT levels and penalties might loosen up some of the top-end spending. If the deal on the international draft comes together, and thus qualifying offers are removed, that's good for high-end free agents. And maybe the new draft lottery will help boost mid-level free agency if it results in fewer teams entering full-scale rebuilds. Probably not. Still, the gains for the MLBPA seem modest and anything resembling the status quo is good for the owners. If the MLBPA's bottom-line goal was to increase the players' aggregate share of a revenue pie that is likely to keep growing, then it's not clear this agreement furthers that goal. -- Bradford Doolittle What does this CBA mean for CBA negotiations going forward? Buster Olney: The new CBA is in place, but just like after the previous agreement was forged in 2016, you can already see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. Lingering player anger is inevitable among the middle class within the union, because there is almost nothing in this deal in place to prop up that group - and they are going to get crushed in the next few weeks, in the next few years. The middle class takes the biggest hit from the practice of tanking, because teams pocket money rather than spending, and little was done to deter teams from tanking, beyond the misdemeanor costs tied to a draft lottery. As it stands, the current system will reward the elite players -- the best of the young players will get more money from the bonus pool and the best of the older players will continue to get the biggest deals. But none of that ensures that small-market and mid-market teams will spend, and with the best of the youngest players now becoming more expensive, teams will be more aggressive in non-tendering arbitration-eligible players. This will only further increase the free-agent pool, fueling the supply-and-demand problem that has gutted spending on the middle class. Historically, it's the owners who have had a Haves Vs. Have Nots problem. Moving forward, factions within the union will have a similar fight -- including discussions about whether the best interests of all of the players are served by having so many members of the leadership group represented by one agent. In this round of negotiations, Scott Boras's clients made up the majority of the players making the big decisions. Players and agents will look to change that dynamic in the years ahead, to push for the high volume of union members who comprise the rank-and-file.

The Whoopster wants y'all to know she was on steroids when filming her scenes for season 2, which is why her face resembled a pumpkin.

But Little Caesar's was started by that guy Cleopatra was involved with, right?

Were they characters on some show that was resurrected that WASN'T awful?

How many things (or people) ARE when resurrected?

I hope you all realize the most important part of a new topic post is the click-bait headline. I was going to go with HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR, but that's been done...

You're all probably the sort of food snobs who'd insist that Chef Boyardee is not one of the all-time great Italian chefs.

The son of a former Australian Prime Minister made his last appearance last night. I guess Michael Landon's daughter (his boo on the show) will be out of a job now.

It must have been while he was kissing you.

Charles Entenmann, who propelled his family’s New York bakery into a national brand, died in Florida last month at the age of 92. Entenmann, his brothers and mother expanded the Bay Shore business across the region and eventually the country, following the 1951 death of his father William Entenmann, a German immigrant who opened the bakery in Brooklyn in 1898, according to its website. His family sold its cakes-and-cookies enterprise for $233 million in 1978, which is more than a billion dollars in today’s money, Newsday reported. Entenmann’s still operates under new ownership, but closed their Bay Shore plant in 2014, the article said. Entenmann, a Korean War veteran, was a supporter and advocate for the Great South Bay YMCA, and funded research to improve water quality and habitats in the bay, which separates his hometown from Fire Island, according to his obituary. “He never wanted the accolades, the publicity; and when he gave, he gave with all his heart and with complete faith and trust in you,” Anne Brigis, a longtime YMCA executive, told the paper. “He treated everybody with respect. It didn’t matter if you were a janitor at the bakery or a custodian at the Y or senior leadership.” In retirement, Entenmann spearheaded energy and medical advances at his research lab and healthcare company, and along with his brothers Robert and William established the Entenmann Family Cardiac Center at Bay Shore’s Southside Hospital. “He was an extremely generous man,” his son Charles Edward Entenmann said. “He was just a really intelligent guy … He had a fantastic sense of humor and was always playing jokes on people and having fun. He did it right.” The elder Entenmann, who concentrated on the engineering and technical aspects of the bakery enterprise, didn’t share his family’s sweet tooth, his son reportedly revealed. “I’m going to tell you something that’s been pretty much a secret, most of my life anyway,” his son told Newsday. “He didn’t eat Entenmann’s cake … He just wasn’t a dessert guy.” Charles Edward Entenmann died outside Miami on Feb. 24. He had lived in Florida for decades but was buried on Long Island.

Wouldn't it be great if, now that Covid restrictions are being lifted everywhere, they play in front of empty stadiums again this year?