Interesting story in the Post-Gazette this morning about the Steelers' planned addition of 3,000 seats to Heinz Field for the 2013 season.
My own feeling on this is that adding these seats will take away the one design feature of Heinz Field that makes it unique - the open ended south end of the Stadium that gives one a view of the riverfront and the city. The Steelers say that that will not be lost in the redesign. We'll see.
Anyway, it seems that the Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA) has not given the final rubber stamp on this that would enable construction to begin and be completed by the opening of the 2013 season. The SEA is saying financing has not been finalized. One financing feature being proposed is a $2 or $3 surcharge for parking at the Heinz Field lots. Parking czar Merrill Stabile says that this is "unfair" to the public. Oh, by the way, Stabile also mentioned that he is considering an increase in the parking price for Steelers game anyway. Last time I heard, it already cost $35 to park for a Steelers game.
The Steelers have also proposed that they, the team, will finance the construction. How are they going to do this? You guessed it - seat licenses and an additional surcharge on all tickets. In other words, the ticket buyers, not the Steelers, are paying for this. The Steelers will also tell you that they want to add these seats for "the fans", especially those people who have been on the waiting list for so long. The fact that these seats will bring in another $2.4 million a year (and that includes the two practice games that they force on you) has little to do with it as far as the altruistic Art Rooney II is concerned.
So who do you sympathize with the most here? Art II or Merrill Stabile? I'm just gald that they both have the public's interest at heart here.
neither the Steelers nor Mr. Stabile have anybody's interest at heart except their own. I'm fine with that. That's the American way. Pro football is entertainment, nothing more or less. When it gets too expensive people should stop going - plain and simple. As long as a person is willing to pay then obviously there is more profit to be made and a businessman has a right to make it. The trick from a businessman's perspective is to not cross over that line.
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