As I sat in construction traffic recently, I was reminded of a statement I heard in 2001 when Heinz Field and PNC Park were built: “Can you imagine how nice our region would be if the hundreds of millions spent on the stadiums was spent on infrastructure?” At the time, the Pirates and Steelers threatened to leave if the stadiums weren’t built. A referendum was voted down as the taxpayers called their bluff.
The Penguins wanted to replace the Civic Arena, which was truly needed but was cut out of the deal the politicians pushed through anyway. Thirty-five-year-old Three Rivers Stadium was imploded, and the debt owed on that structure was also put on the taxpayers so skyboxes could generate more revenue for the Pirates and Steelers. Talk about corporate welfare!
The Penguins built their own arena (PPG). Despite huge television contracts with their leagues, the Pirates and Steelers ripped off the taxpayers and continue to do so as evident of the naming rights Acrisure Stadium money that Art Rooney pocketed from a stadium we paid for.
Cheering for these teams is like cheering for the thief who robs your home. I cheer for the Penguins only!
As karma would have it, the Penguins went to the playoffs 16 straight years, while the Pirates are on their fifth rebuild and the Steelers continue to employ a head coach/spokesman who consistently leads them to mediocre finishes.
Undoubtedly, the next victory parade we see will be detoured or a celebration of construction projects that should have concluded 20 years ago.
Rob DiSanti
O’Hara