A number of weeks in the past, I wrote in regards to the uselessness of a Neighborhood Profit Settlement. Each few years, one other metropolis finds out that their historic CBA is absolutely simply the crew promising to do issues a sure approach with little to no ensures in writing. Oh, the house owners of the Detroit Purple Wings & Pistons didn’t truly rent native staff when constructing their new area? What a disgrace. Pay a couple of bucks as a fantastic. You may maintain the $250 million taxpayer {dollars}, although.
In Philadelphia, the 76ers wish to construct a brand new area within the metropolis at a price of $1.55 billion {dollars}. Although it’s troublesome to discover a single citizen who agrees with the 76ers plan, the mayor obtained on board with the settlement lately. Although the world deal was put collectively in full secret from the general public, it features a $50 million greenback CBA! Which additionally was put collectively in secret…which is odd as the entire level of a CBA is to speak to the group and determine a deal. One native religion chief known as the CBA an “insult” to the realm. Because the native newspaper famous, the CBA is “is surrounded by extra questions than solutions”.
However at present, the crew was in entrance of town council for the second day in a row. When metropolis officers famous how little cash was ACTUALLY included within the CBA for the group, the crew responded by merely stating that they “can’t go above” the $50 million greenback quantity and have been subsequently “unwilling to budge” on altering the CBA. When a metropolis official requested the crew how precisely they obtained the $50 million greenback quantity for the CBA, the crew didn’t know. That sounds fairly scientific.
I completely liked how one councilmember answered the crew’s claims:
“It looks as if we’re not getting our honest worth…The 50 million, from all people I’ve heard right here, doesn’t appear to be closing for us. It appears to be closing for you, however we’ve to log out on this” — Councilmember Nina Ahmad, MetroPhiladelphia, 11/13/24
However what in regards to the modifications that may have to be made to the metro system proper under this new area? This metro system, known as SEPTA, wants virtually $250 million {dollars} from the state simply to remain afloat this yr. As town famous in talks at present, SEPTA is in a “monetary disaster”. Nevertheless, if the crew needs this metro station to be operational for area occasions, it can want $30 million {dollars} price of upgrades. Is the crew going to pay for that? After all not. The crew testified that they “would pay for bodily modifications to Jefferson Station wanted to help the world” however “not keen to fund the transit system’s operations”.
As a consequence, the crew won’t pay for any “operational prices to extend service on recreation nights”. Evidently, they’ll pay for a number of issues to make it look good however thereafter, nothing. When the crew tried to behave as if SEPTA was pleased with the crew’s proposal, one other councilmember shot again with “I’ve heard from SEPTA, and I do know that SEPTA isn’t glad”. Ouch.
By the best way, can somebody clarify to me how the crew may ask town council to approve this deal when neither the mayor nor the crew have given metropolis councilmembers a single piece of documentation on the “negotiations between SEPTA and the 76ers”?
