Arizona Cardinals' Bidwill disputes claims of Glendale losing money on Super Bowl

[Brian in Mesa]

Arizona Cardinals' Bidwill disputes claims of Glendale losing money on Super Bowl

http://ktar.com/22/1801701/SUPER-BOWL-DEBATE

The city of Glendale and the Arizona Cardinals continue to butt heads over the upcoming Super Bowl.

Arizona Cardinals President Mike Bidwill said Saturday that Mayor Jerry Weiers' claim that Glendale is losing money on Super Bowl XLIX is nothing more than "political speak."

On Thursday, Weiers told KTAR News 92.3 FM's Bruce St. James and Pamela Hughes that the city is losing money on the event because of law enforcement expenditures for the big game.

Bidwill responded to Weiers' claims Saturday on KTAR News 92.3 FM's Arizona's Morning News Weekend. He said Glendale isn't paying as much to police the area around the University of Phoenix Stadium as Weiers would have people believe.

"We've all got to come together and be positive about Arizona," Bidwill said.
"The NFL and the Super Bowl Host Committee are picking up all of the security expenses inside of the stadium," Bidwill said. "This is like having an 11th game for the city of Glendale. They're in charge of traffic around the stadium, and that's about it. The traffic isn't going to be any worse than it was around any of our games or the Fiesta Bowl."

Bidwill said, with the world focusing on the Valley this week, now is not the time for local leaders to be arguing.

"We've all got to come together and be positive about Arizona," he said. "We need to be putting out very positive messages about Arizona."

Bidwill briefly mentioned the possibility of Glendale hosting another Super Bowl sometime in the future. When asked if more events related to the big game could be held in Glendale during future Super Bowls, Bidwill said NFL interest grows every year and festivities would have to be held in Valley cities that have proper venues for them.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Here is the original article covering what the mayor of Glendale said:

Glendale mayor: 'We're losing money' by hosting Super Bowl

http://www.ktar.com/103/1801078/Glendale-mayor-Were-losing-money-by-hosting-Super-Bowl

 

[Hollywood]

I get the feeling that if Michael could move the stadium to any other city in Phoenix he would.....in a heartbeat.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I get the feeling that if Michael could move the stadium to any other city in Phoenix he would.....in a heartbeat.

 

[Shaggy]

Was stupid put it out there. They had some many better areas but yet they put way out there where there is outing, and really still nothing.

 

[bankybruce]

Was stupid put it out there. They had some many better areas but yet they put way out there where there is outing, and really still nothing.

I think you forget the history of the stadium. No one else wanted it and they were out of options and time.

 

[overseascardfan]

It's too bad Glendale isn't the attraction Scottsdale is. Most people will be hanging out in Scottsdale especially with the TPC in town and in Old Town.

 

[Azlen]

I think you forget the history of the stadium. No one else wanted it and they were out of options and time.

Yep. Initially it was supposed to go near the Tempe Mesa border where the 101 and 202 intersect but that was voted down by the Mesa voters. Then there was a location in Tempe that ran into problems with the FAA. The Glendale situation was really a last ditch effort and without it the Cardinals probably wouldn't be in Phoenix today.

Glendale's issue with sports is more driven by the hockey situation. Their former mayor, Elaine Scruggs, went all in with the sports complex and it has cost the city of bunch of money and problems. Their current mayor was voted in as a reaction to that and isn't going to play nicely with the sports leagues.

 

[Shaggy]

Didn't gila river want it?

 

[GatorAZ]

Yep. Initially it was supposed to go near the Tempe Mesa border where the 101 and 202 intersect but that was voted down by the Mesa voters. Then there was a location in Tempe that ran into problems with the FAA. The Glendale situation was really a last ditch effort and without it the Cardinals probably wouldn't be in Phoenix today.

Glendale's issue with sports is more driven by the hockey situation. Their former mayor, Elaine Scruggs, went all in with the sports complex and it has cost the city of bunch of money and problems. Their current mayor was voted in as a reaction to that and isn't going to play nicely with the sports leagues.

That's so close to ASU though. You'd have two huge stadiums within a couple miles of each other.

 

[Hollywood]

The Glendale situation was really a last ditch effort and without it the Cardinals probably wouldn't be in Phoenix today.

This part is wrong. After the 9-11 the Tempe/Mesa site wasn't viable anymore because the stadium sat directly in the flight path of one of the runways at Sky Harbor.

After that there were over a dozen potential sites vying for the stadium.

 

[Azlen]

This part is wrong. After the 9-11 the Tempe/Mesa site wasn't viable anymore because the stadium sat directly in the flight path of one of the runways at Sky Harbor.

After that there were over a dozen potential sites vying for the stadium.

Nope. The Tempe Mesa area was voted down. The location in Tempe was the one that ran into FAA problems.

 

[Hollywood]

Nope. The Tempe Mesa area was voted down. The location in Tempe was the one that ran into FAA problems.

Either way. The Glendale site wasn't a last ditch effort. If that site wasn't selected there were plenty of other options to choose from.

 

[D-Dogg]

Glendale is stupid but I love the location for the stadium. North Scottsdale would have been nice too.

#anthem

 

[az240zz]

Didn't they think of putting it at Turf Paradise.

 

[Hollywood]

Didn't they think of putting it at Turf Paradise.

I think so. My favorite site was the Gila River plan.

 

[GatorAZ]

What about the Desert Ridge area? That would've been nice.

 

[HeavyB3]

I thought the reason that they ended up choosing Glendale was because they got the land for free. I think that was the thing that pushed it over the edge for Glendale... They were a little naive to think that the stadiums would have revolutionized the area. They were projecting property values to skyrocket and for that area to become the hip place for the affluent youth to move. That's why they put the condos over westgate and fancy apartments nearby. If there was a college nearby they might have succeeded, they needed some other draw.

That casino could save their asses, if they ever are smart enough to stop fighting it. They should have worked out a deal that would have had them get some kind of contract with the casino to help pay the infrastructure and security costs. The tax benefit to the surrounding community like Westgate and the outlet malls would be huge. Would also make that area a destination for out of towners.

 

[CardLogic]

In other news, Glendale Mayor complains that he has a poor view of the forest because of all the trees in the way.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Mesa tried to do it on their own a couple of times and once with Tempe. Got shot down by NIMBY campaigns and then by a Tempe City Councilman named Leonard Coppel. Then Tempe had their own attempt shot down because of the ridiculous flight path argument. The Salt River Indian tribe and some other tribes also wanted to build it on their land, but the NFL would not allow that. Phoenix had also tossed their name in the ring with at least a couple of undeveloped land areas, but they never worked out.

Glendale was late to the party, but the one positive that Glendale had going for it - there was nothing there. No neighbors to disrupt, no businesses to displace, etc. Sadly the biggest complaint about Glendale today is still - there is nothing there.

We walked from the Brown lot and passed a huge hotel/resort which was built right after the stadium. It is now fenced off and sitting vacant and unused. Really? SMH.

 

[Hollywood]

Glendale was giving the land for free but so was everyone else except the Indians who won't/can't sell land on the reservation. The whole thing about the stadium was the development or redevelopment AROUND the stadium. Glendale wanted it to help build up the area. They had already "stolen" the Coyotes from Scottsdale and Westgate was in the works. The Cardinals Stadium was to help that along.
The problem was that Glendale rolled the dice that the boom was going to continue rolling along and gave too much to an aggressive development group. Ever wonder why a store like Cabella's would build in such an empty area? Its because at the time projections had everything west of there being developed in 10 years tops. All that vacant land was suposed to be developed with houseing and business by now. But when the bottom fell out of the economy the development stopped and Glendale got stuck in a tight spot because the development stopped when the funding dried up and when that happened and the City was hurting bad for money people had something tangible to point at and place blame on.
But cities have the luxury of time being on their side and Glendale will be alright in the end. The economy is back to growing and the development is back in motion and once all that tax money starts coming in Glendale will realize what a good thing it is to have those two stadiums there. Unfortunately the people that brought it there were voted out of office and won't get the credit for it in most cases. Maybe the current mayor and councilmen will despite the fact that they cost the city all the tax money that could have been generated by all of the events that the NFL is having in Phoenix and Scottsdale.

 

[oaken1]

the land was given to the team by a local family....in return the Cards made the (grandson?) defensive coordinator for a few years... I forget the guys name....


Pendergast??

 

[speedy]

Woulda coulda shoulda. That Stadium isn't a mobile home, and the Cardinals won't be receiving a new one for another 30 years. Glendale is in a pickle, but it won't last forever. To appeal to businesses looking to move in and around the Westgate corridor in the mid-2000's, Glendale dolled out huge sales-tax breaks. If I am not mistaken, the City won't reap full sales-tax benefit until 2016/17/18.

Compounding this problem is the foreclosure of businesses in Westgate, as well as the overall lack of growth. I don't see this being a problem forever; time will bring the influx and development.

People say west gate will never establish because "look what's around it." The neighborhoods in and around chase field and the Suns arena are no better. I believe the casino will be the best thing to happen to the westgate corridor since westgate.

NFL should pick up the public safety bill. I will disclose I work for Glendale Public Safety, and the hoops we are jumping through to meet security requirements are pretty exaggerated. I think the Mayor is (let's just say I think we could do better), but he does have a point. $2.1 million in stadium security is a huge chunk of our public safety budget, but a chump change for the NFL. We aren't making jack-squat compared to what is MANDATED we throw out. It's BS in my opinion.

 

[Hollywood]

Woulda coulda shoulda. That Stadium isn't a mobile home, and the Cardinals won't be receiving a new one for another 30 years. Glendale is in a pickle, but it won't last forever. To appeal to businesses looking to move in and around the Westgate corridor in the mid-2000's, Glendale dolled out huge sales-tax breaks. If I am not mistaken, the City won't reap full sales-tax benefit until 2016/17/18.

Compounding this problem is the foreclosure of businesses in Westgate, as well as the overall lack of growth. I don't see this being a problem forever; time will bring the influx and development.

People say west gate will never establish because "look what's around it." The neighborhoods in and around chase field and the Suns arena are no better. I believe the casino will be the best thing to happen to the westgate corridor since westgate.

NFL should pick up the public safety bill. I will disclose I work for Glendale Public Safety, and the hoops we are jumping through to meet security requirements are pretty exaggerated. I think the Mayor is (let's just say I think we could do better), but he does have a point. $2.1 million in stadium security is a huge chunk of our public safety budget, but a chump change for the NFL. We aren't making jack-squat compared to what is MANDATED we throw out. It's BS in my opinion.

Exactly. Government has the luxury of time. They can and should be planning 100+ years out. 10 years to a city is almost nothing. If the economy hadn't tanked they would have been fine. As it was they were in pretty bad shape but so was every other city. Maybe a little worse for Glendale but they will be better off than others in the long run
As for the costs the city would have been MUCH better off if all the events were being held in Glendale. Plus they are losing a lot of free publicity to Scottsdale and Phoenix. Colin Cowherd is broadcasting from Scottsdale today instead of Glendale.

 

[Bodha]

Whos this nard who keeps ruining everything?

He was doing it when the Coyotes were negotiating to stay or leave too