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J.C. Bradbury

@jcbradbury.com

2.2K followers 224 following 4K posts

Economist, Georgian, Gadfly Stadium Subsidies, Film Incentives, Local Economic Development, Sports Economics Tariffs bad. Vaccines good. Conjecture is not evidence. jcbradbury.com Book website: ThisOneWillBeDifferent.com

Posts Replies Media

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 10h

I think I've spotted a flaw in this argument.

Kevin Wells
@Wells15Kevin
Great reporting here.

1: Bears finance the construction in full
2: Arlington Heights leases stadium to team*
3: Bears are property tax exempt
4: Cook Co. and Chi. still see tax dollars flow in

*AH/Rolling Meadows would be in charge of handling tax implications.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 10h

I don't get why these requests are framed as some sort of policy discussion, as if there is some reasonable case to be made that taxpayers *should* build a privately owned sports team a new stadium. Especially when the team has a perfectly fine place to play.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 10h

The Bears already play in a public stadium that received a billion dollar renovation (essentially rebuilt for the team) in 2003.

chicagobusiness.com

Reposted by J.C. Bradbury

trappercreek.bsky.social @trappercreek.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I can’t recommend highly enough JC Bradbury’s new book “This One Will Be Different” a story & study of the economics of publicly funded sports arenas in the US. It’s a wonderful read. It will, however, cause you to lose respect for the elected officials who so readily drank Dundon’s Koolaid.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 03/10/2026

Exactly. Dundon is just an asshole. It's time for Portland and Oregon leaders to stand up to this jerk. This treatment isn't worth an NBA team. You're better than this.

But where could he go? A member of the St. Louis sports authority said the city has no interest in the Trail Blazers, and the appetite among citizens to build an arena is at an all-time low. Same thing for Raleigh, N.C., where Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes play. And Nashville is not currently interested in taking on an NBA team and too close to another NBA market. City officials from Kansas City and Austin didn’t return calls. So I’m not sure where Dundon could take his circus next.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 02/10/2026

It's worth remembering that the public corporation Liberty Media acquired the Atlanta Braves to reap $300 million in tax savings. www.ajc.com/sports/atlan...

Liberty Media acquired the Braves in 2007 as part of a complex transaction in which Liberty swapped 68.5 million shares of stock it held in Time Warner (a stake valued at about $1.5 billion at the time) for the Braves (valued at $450 million at the time), a group of crafts magazines and about $960 million in cash. The structure of the deal was estimated to have generated tax savings of as much as $300 million for Liberty.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 02/10/2026

Is it fair that a private company got a $300 million subsidy from taxpayers?

Jack visited Major League Baseball’s annual meeting in Orlando last year to pave the way for the legislation. He and U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller also recently met with team officials to finalize the bill.

“The Atlanta Braves should not be unfairly penalized for operating as a publicly traded corporation,” said Jack.

“Fans deserve fairness in professional sports, and all teams should compete on equal playing fields.”

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 02/10/2026

Looks like the Atlanta Braves are back for more taxpayer subsidies.

Cartoon from The Giving Tree of an elderly man wearing a navy-and-red Atlanta Braves cap and holding a tomahawk in Braves colors like an axe. He faces a tree stump labeled “TAXPAYERS,” suggesting the team has depleted taxpayers’ resources.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 02/10/2026

Perhaps the most embarrassing aspect of this episode for MLB is that no one internally realized that this was a really stupid idea.

washingtonpost.com

MLB drops proposal to host a baseball game at Grand Teton National Park

After The Washington Post reported on the proposal, local leaders sent letters to the Trump administration and the MLB commissioner expressing strong opposition.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

The cost of a stadium only goes up.

sportsbusinessjournal.com

A’s Las Vegas ballpark cost rises to $2.1B, public funding delayed

Athletics Senior Advisor Sandy Dean said that the A’s don’t plan to tap public funding available for the construction of their Las Vegas ballpark from Clark County until the middle of next year, with ...

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

All public stadium projects should be decided directly by voters. The fact that KC leaders acted deliberately to avoid a vote is telling. This isn't about civic pride or a community desire to redevelop downtown, it's about insider perks.

Petition aiming to force public votes on stadium projects heading to April ballot

Petitioners aim to force a vote on Kansas City’s plan to help fund a new Royals ballpark in Crown Center.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

I'm getting reports that hardback copies of This One Will Be Different are starting to arrive. Also, the glitch that delayed its Kindle release has been fixed, so the e-book is now available on all platforms (also on Nook, Google Play, and Kobo).

This One Will Be Different

False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums, by economist J.C. Bradbury.

Reposted by J.C. Bradbury

East Nashville Urban Design @urbaneastnash.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Got my book 📕. It first had to be checked by our import control cat 🐈 Details below 👇 on ordering

This One Will Be Different, False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums. A book by JC Bradbury

Buddy the orange cat claiming a book I just opened from the mail.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

Excellent! There's some Nashville content in several places.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

There's almost nothing dumber than a public investment in a minor league stadium as an "economic development" project.

cityofgastonia.news

City of Gastonia Using All Tools Possible to Spur FUSE Private Investment - City News Source

The City of Gastonia is leveraging all financial tools possible in the economic development toolbox to help spur private development in the Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment (FUSE) District. The...

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

gastongazette.com

Projected FUSE stadium cost jumps past $26.2 million

Another series of benchmarks in the evolution of Gastonia’s FUSE District on Tuesday came with another hike in the projected cost of building the stadium that will serve as its centerpiece. The mos…

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 01/10/2026

My quick search indicates that taxpayers paid $26 million to build this stadium, which now lacks a tenant.

Gastonia Ghost Peppers baseball team folds after 2 seasons

Zawyer Sports & Entertainment did not say why they were ceasing operation of the Ghost Peppers

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 30/09/2026

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 30/09/2026

I'm getting messages from folks that copies of my book are arriving already. If you get yours, or if you see a review, let me know. jcbradbury.com/towbd/

This One Will Be Different

False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums, by economist J.C. Bradbury.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 30/09/2026

Stadium boosters sharing the commissioned economic impact "study"

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 29/09/2026

This morning, I had a producer request an interview to discuss an event/stadium issue. Don't really have time, but said I would because it's policy relevant. Just got a follow-up telling me I was being bumped for the local chamber of commerce rep. I give up.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 29/09/2026

How stadiums get taxpayer subsidies

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 29/09/2026

I so feel this guy.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 29/09/2026

New York and Erie County representatives devoted $850 million of taxpayer money to build a state-of-the-art football stadium for a man whose fortune has doubled in the past six years to nearly $12 BILLION. Simply indefensible public policy.

democratandchronicle.com

Buffalo Bills owner makes Forbes richest list as fortune soars

Terry Pegula is now worth $11.8 billion, up from $5.1 billion six years ago.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 29/09/2026

What is an "unspoken threat"? The Blazers have nowhere better to go and zero offers on the table. Either the team is threatening to leave or it isn't.

New owner Tom Dundon has an unspoken threat that he may try to move the Trail Blazers out of Portland in 2030. That’s the backdrop for negotiations between the Dundon-led ownership group and the city of Portland over a new lease and renovations for the Moda Center, the city-owned arena that’s home to the Trail Blazers and the WNBA’s Portland Fire.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 28/09/2026

I have a few things in the works, which I will promote here as they happen.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 28/09/2026

Stadium districts are one of the many fiscal illusions that stadium boosters use to claim that a public stadium project will pay for itself. From my book chapter on different types of stadium financing: doi.org/10.1093/9780...

Though some surrounding spending may be connected to stadium events,
the tax revenue raised from commercial activity in a stadium district is not
costless to the local community. Spending within the district boundary comes
mostly at the expense of economic activity from other local businesses outside
the district, whose tax collections decrease correspondingly. This is problematic
for the broader municipal jurisdiction because tax revenue that previously supported
general government operations is now diverted to pay off the stadium
and sometimes related infrastructure. Rather than adding to local tax collections,
district assessments largely cannibalize existing tax revenue that supports
other government priorities, which must then be replaced with additional taxes
or implementing service cuts. And because sports teams play only a limited number
of games, most business in the area has little to do with stadium events, but
the reallocated tax revenue raised on non–game days continues to go toward
paying off the venue.
The problem isn’t just that stadiums are poor anchors for stimulating economic
development—which is a big problem—but TIF districts often don’t
generate sufficient revenue to be self-financing, as one comprehensive review
of research on their effectiveness found: “While there is variation from district
to district, many of the studies conclude that the projects do not pay for
themselves . . . or they take a long time to break even.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 28/09/2026

Stadium tax districts don't raise new revenue to pay off the stadium, they cannibalize existing tax collections. You would think that the city which funded the Power & Light District boondoggle would remember this financing strategy doesn't work.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 28/09/2026

"Restaurants like Brick House and Martin City Pizza’s Crossroads location fall within the draft boundaries, and both said *they are ready for the boost*."

2 panel Simpsons meme:
Panel 1: An obese Homer smiles at the counter while purchasing "Massive Weight Gain Power"
Panel 2: Store clerk says: "Lucky for you, this stuff doesn't work."

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

The real answer/question is Fahrenheit 451 by my uncle Ray (not really my uncle). 😀

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

I wasn't aware of the Phish connection... but cool!

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

The White House using "the MLB" should be a national scandal.

The White House said MLB has not made any decisions and the Park Service has not granted any permits. “If the MLB wants to go on site visits of national parks, that is their prerogative,” the statement said.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

This is a uniquely terrible idea, especially if it includes any taxpayer money to build a stadium.

washingtonpost.com

Trump administration considers building baseball park in Grand Teton National Park

Major League Baseball contacted the administration about hosting a game in a national park, with an agency official scouting Grand Teton as a possible location.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

Scheduled pub date is Oct. 9, but it may start shipping before that. I've compiled a list of links to booksellers on my book webpage. I'll post an update when it starts shipping. jcbradbury.com/towbd/

This One Will Be Different

False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums, by economist J.C. Bradbury.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

Here's a study I did. Ungated link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...

DO MOVIE PRODUCTION INCENTIVES GENERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
John Charles Bradbury

Abstract
Movie production incentives (MPIs) are a popular economic development strategy employed by U.S. states. Film subsidies are intended to encourage external investment into a nascent industry that spills over onto complementary industries to generate economic growth through a multiplier. Despite their widespread use, the positive impact of MPIs on state economies has not been documented, and several states have halted their MPI programs due to high costs and questionable efficacy. This study exploits the staggered implementation, suspension, and elimination of film incentive programs across states to estimate the macroeconomic impact of MPIs. Instrumental variable estimates that permit causal inference do not support the hypothesized positive impacts of film incentives on state economies.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

Uh, no. No study has ever demonstrated any economic benefits from film production that justifies government incentives. The subject has been studied extensively, and all the results demonstrate the opposite.

U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, R-Peachtree City, whose congressional district includes Trilith Studios, is a co-sponsor on the House bill. In a statement, he said he represents “the craftsmen, electricians, and carpenters who work hard to create movies that inspire generations of Americans.”
“Study after study has demonstrated that American film production delivers substantial economic benefits to communities across our country by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and generating millions of dollars in local economic activity,” Jack said.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 27/09/2026

This is such a bad idea.

National film incentive legislation introduced with Ga. lawmaker as co-sponsor

Supporters hope it will lure production back to the United States. Critics argue it shouldn’t be a matter of public policy.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 26/09/2026

Sure is nice to finally hold this in my hand.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 26/09/2026

When an actual economist sees the commissioned economic impact "study."

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 26/09/2026

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 25/09/2026

Falcons fans

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 24/09/2026

I agree. Somewhat minor, but I won't be surprised if it's not the last development-postponed story.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 24/09/2026

You'd think that if stadiums were such valuable tourism magnets, then a nearby prospective hotel wouldn't have trouble getting financing. Especially in an area touted as an entertainment district.

newschannel5.com

East Bank hotel delay could disrupt Nashville's 2030 Super Bowl plans near Nissan Stadium

The East Bank hotel is now a year behind schedule, raising concerns about a construction zone near Nissan Stadium during the 2030 Super Bowl.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 24/09/2026

Labor leaders love free luxury box access just as much as politicians do.

Scoop: D.C. United makes labor deal for Audi Field expansion

The club has struck an early agreement with local construction unions, Axios has learned.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 23/09/2026

Tobias Fünke looking optimistically at Lindsay Bluth Fünke

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 23/09/2026

I've got a work trip to Philly this weekend, but I'll have some free time to roam the city. It's been probably 20 years since my last visit. Any suggestions for cool things to see/do?

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 23/09/2026

Gateway projected $8M a year for repairs. Rising costs changed the plan

Significant Gateway funding pressures remain despite a $40 million public contribution.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 22/09/2026

Well, it's profitable for the Atlanta Braves (~10% boost in revenue), just not for the taxpayers who subsidized the stadium ($15 million annual loss). doi.org/10.1093/9780...

It Takes a Ballpark Village: Mixed-Use and Zero-Sum

Abstract. The Battery Atlanta mixed-use development was pitched as an ameliorative innovation that would allow Truist Park to be a salutary public investme

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 22/09/2026

Our novelty economic impact reports are for entertainment use only.

J.C. Bradbury @jcbradbury.com · 22/09/2026

Folks, *THIS* is what's being used to counter 100+ academic studies published over 50 years. This is like a phony "Sexiest Man Alive" People Magazine cover you purchase at a carnival. It's not a study, it's a purchased fantasy. www.portland.gov/venues/moda-...