Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know from so I asked you yesterday with a
question today whether or not we should build a new
stadium for the Houston Texans, and I think it was
a unanimous no. And I recall saying yesterday that maybe
this is just a negotiation tool, right, Maybe they it's
just their way of getting more help and paying for
(00:21):
whatever modifications, repairs and whatever else they want done to
NRG for the next ten or twenty years. I joined
to talk about it as Charles Blaine, President of Urban Reform,
if it is a negotiation tool, Charles, why come out
of the gate with a hammer? Why not just ask nicely? Right?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, thanks for having me, first of all.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But I think they came out with the game of
the hammer just to give everybody shock and awe and
then hopefully scale back later. But the other thing is is,
you know, I think it is a negotiation tool, and
negotiations have two parties, and we know the other party
there is Harris County, and I don't have very much
faith in their negotiating scale. So I wouldn't be surprised
if the Texans get everything they wanted at this negotiation.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Well that could be, But then again, Harris County much
like the City of Houston doesn't have a lot of
money because Lord knows how much money they waste, which
is another reason why I'd like to see Doze come
to Harris Coonty. Can you imagine how much waste they
could turn up in Harris County?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh my goodness, I can't even imagine.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I mean, just the amount of growth of government we've
had in recent years, shadow positions created, department directors getting
you know, one hundred thousand dollars raised. I mean, I
think they can find a ton of waste if they
were to come here.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
But I think your point is correct.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Harriscunny doesn't really have money to give away, and so
to you know, accommodate what the Texans are requesting, were
to require a massive bond, and I just don't think
voters are there.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Well, the problem with the bond issues that we're already
we're still paying on bonds. We're paying on bonds for
all of our stadums every not yes.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
We are. Until twenty fifty six.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I think we got just a bit over a billion
dollars left to pay down.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I mean, and think about NRG.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
They've been there since two thousand and two and we're
still talking about paying at least part of that billion
towards that.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
So yeah, I mean, there's a ton of money still
on the table.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
There's a ton of payback that we have to give
in this argument that it's an economic boon if we
invest in it has never really played out to be.
I mean, there's a lot of research and reports out
there that show that these arguments just kind of fall
flat on their face, that when you bring in and
invest a lot of public money into big sporting stadiums
and teams, it repays the city.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Well, and from a practical standpoint, I mean, let's say
you host the national championship game, which we did for
college football two years ago. I have no idea what
kind of money that brought into the city. Obviously, you're
booking a lot of hotel rooms for that, you're selling
tickets to TANRG, But there was nothing about that stadium
that prevented college football from having a national championship there.
(02:41):
So is NRG really in such bad shape that it
really needs a billion dollars worth of work over the
next ten or fifteen years.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Well, right, and we hear this thing, We hear the
same notion you know about the stadiums, about the transportation
networks around the city, all of this stuff from people
who want to spend a lot of public money to
lure events here. But you're right, we had that competition,
We've had the Super Bowl, We're going to have a
couple of World Cup competitions. We've been successful, and we're
gonna have the RNC here I mean obviously not an
(03:10):
rg but here in town in a couple of years
as well. So we've been very successful in luring massive
national and international events without these required investments. And so
I don't think the argument that it's necessary is as strong.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
As they hope to be.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I mean, would it be a nice to have, sure,
but not when a county's broke and the taxpayers are
the ones already footing the bill for everything.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So do we think that the Texans are willing to
pay hardball? How desperately do they want these modifications? Are
they willing to make the ultimate threat, which is, well,
if we can't get energy the way we want it,
or can't get a new stadium, we're gonna have to
go somewhere else. All of the oilers.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well, you know, I mean, I think I wouldn't be
surprised that they try to make that argument, least privately
in negotiations. But at the end of the day, you know,
they have the opportunity to take out a massive I
think it's three hundred million dollar loan from kind of
an NFL stadium loan program. They've got their own revenues
that they can invest into it. The county is going
to give them something in terms of renovations. I'm sure
at the end of the day, probably not the one
(04:07):
point four billion that they're asking for, but they'll probably.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Get something, so they might end up patching it together.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But at the end of the day, I just we're not,
you know, not to be mean to San Antonio, but
we're not some of these other cities where you know,
you really need to pay these teams to be there.
I think we're women, we're Houston, and there's a benefit
for this team to be here. And I think they're
gonna have to think twice if they're if they are
gonna threat to threaten to leave.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
All right, Charles good to talk take Care. President of
Urban Reform Charles Blaine
You know from so I asked you yesterday with a
question today whether or not we should build a new
stadium for the Houston Texans, and I think it was
a unanimous no. And I recall saying yesterday that maybe
this is just a negotiation tool, right, Maybe they it's
just their way of getting more help and paying for
(00:21):
whatever modifications, repairs and whatever else they want done to
NRG for the next ten or twenty years. I joined
to talk about it as Charles Blaine, President of Urban Reform,
if it is a negotiation tool, Charles, why come out
of the gate with a hammer? Why not just ask nicely? Right?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, thanks for having me, first of all.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But I think they came out with the game of
the hammer just to give everybody shock and awe and
then hopefully scale back later. But the other thing is is,
you know, I think it is a negotiation tool, and
negotiations have two parties, and we know the other party
there is Harris County, and I don't have very much
faith in their negotiating scale. So I wouldn't be surprised
if the Texans get everything they wanted at this negotiation.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Well that could be, But then again, Harris County much
like the City of Houston doesn't have a lot of
money because Lord knows how much money they waste, which
is another reason why I'd like to see Doze come
to Harris Coonty. Can you imagine how much waste they
could turn up in Harris County?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Oh my goodness, I can't even imagine.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I mean, just the amount of growth of government we've
had in recent years, shadow positions created, department directors getting
you know, one hundred thousand dollars raised. I mean, I
think they can find a ton of waste if they
were to come here.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
But I think your point is correct.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Harriscunny doesn't really have money to give away, and so
to you know, accommodate what the Texans are requesting, were
to require a massive bond, and I just don't think
voters are there.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Well, the problem with the bond issues that we're already
we're still paying on bonds. We're paying on bonds for
all of our stadums every not yes.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
We are. Until twenty fifty six.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I think we got just a bit over a billion
dollars left to pay down.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I mean, and think about NRG.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
They've been there since two thousand and two and we're
still talking about paying at least part of that billion
towards that.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
So yeah, I mean, there's a ton of money still
on the table.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
There's a ton of payback that we have to give
in this argument that it's an economic boon if we
invest in it has never really played out to be.
I mean, there's a lot of research and reports out
there that show that these arguments just kind of fall
flat on their face, that when you bring in and
invest a lot of public money into big sporting stadiums
and teams, it repays the city.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Well, and from a practical standpoint, I mean, let's say
you host the national championship game, which we did for
college football two years ago. I have no idea what
kind of money that brought into the city. Obviously, you're
booking a lot of hotel rooms for that, you're selling
tickets to TANRG, But there was nothing about that stadium
that prevented college football from having a national championship there.
(02:41):
So is NRG really in such bad shape that it
really needs a billion dollars worth of work over the
next ten or fifteen years.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Well, right, and we hear this thing, We hear the
same notion you know about the stadiums, about the transportation
networks around the city, all of this stuff from people
who want to spend a lot of public money to
lure events here. But you're right, we had that competition,
We've had the Super Bowl, We're going to have a
couple of World Cup competitions. We've been successful, and we're
gonna have the RNC here I mean obviously not an
(03:10):
rg but here in town in a couple of years
as well. So we've been very successful in luring massive
national and international events without these required investments. And so
I don't think the argument that it's necessary is as strong.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
As they hope to be.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I mean, would it be a nice to have, sure,
but not when a county's broke and the taxpayers are
the ones already footing the bill for everything.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So do we think that the Texans are willing to
pay hardball? How desperately do they want these modifications? Are
they willing to make the ultimate threat, which is, well,
if we can't get energy the way we want it,
or can't get a new stadium, we're gonna have to
go somewhere else. All of the oilers.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well, you know, I mean, I think I wouldn't be
surprised that they try to make that argument, least privately
in negotiations. But at the end of the day, you know,
they have the opportunity to take out a massive I
think it's three hundred million dollar loan from kind of
an NFL stadium loan program. They've got their own revenues
that they can invest into it. The county is going
to give them something in terms of renovations. I'm sure
at the end of the day, probably not the one
(04:07):
point four billion that they're asking for, but they'll probably.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Get something, so they might end up patching it together.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But at the end of the day, I just we're not,
you know, not to be mean to San Antonio, but
we're not some of these other cities where you know,
you really need to pay these teams to be there.
I think we're women, we're Houston, and there's a benefit
for this team to be here. And I think they're
gonna have to think twice if they're if they are
gonna threat to threaten to leave.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
All right, Charles good to talk take Care. President of
Urban Reform Charles Blaine
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