I see what you're saying and I don't necessarily disagree, but again, I'd prefer the schools have to put some significant skin in the game in these types arrangements. For example the entire development that includes the KFC Yum Center in Louisville has a half a billion dollars worth of debt to go along with it, and the arena by itself is break even at best.
On the flip side, take the PNC Center in Raleigh. NC State put in $30 million up front towards the cost of construction. If these schools can raise millions to build other facilities, they can raise millions to take some of the load off the debt burden of taxpayers.
I don't know the details of every arena in America. Obviously, there are plenty of examples of losers and situations where companies like AEG bamboozle taxpayers into funding these civic projects that don't end up producing any ROI. But, KC and Louisville are not amongst the loser category. The economic impact of SC has been tremendous and the facilty posts operating profits in the 1.5-2mil range every year. "Sprint Center/AEG provided more than $1.47 million in unanticipated revenue to the city of KCMO through a profit-sharing provision in the arena management agreement. Since opening in 2007, Sprint Center/AEG has provided more than $9.3 million to the city of KCMO as part of this unique public-private partnership." Lousiville has posted operating profits of 1mil-2mil in each of the last 2 years.
I guess I just don't see why it should matter if the school puts any skin in the game. The University is like any commercial tenant. Pay your agreed lease, don't get the profits. The City gets the profits. Or, University owns the facility and keeps all profits. I dunno. Maybe that's too simplistic of a way to view it.
I am discussing specific university and public taxpayer arrangements in towns and cities which revolve almost solely around, or at minimum extensively around colleges/universities. Entities like Sprint Center don't belong in that discussion. The PNC Center in Raleigh (for example) belongs in that discussion because while the RDU area has a lot of other things going on, NC State is a huge player sitting right there in the middle of Raleigh.
No Louisville Basketball, probably no KFC Yum Center.
There's nothing wrong with doing this stuff, I (as in me) would rather see the schools have more skin in the game up front, in addition, I don't buy the PR hype from politicians. This has been studied extensively and the financial proclamations are almost ALWAYS overblown by civic types.