A Nevada teachers’ union is opposing the use of $380 million in public funds to finance the new Las Vegas A’s stadium and has filed a lawsuit to halt the process. In June 2023, Nevada legislators voted on a bill that would allocate taxpayer money to the proposed stadium. Proponents of the funding employed numerous lobbyists to advocate for the deal, touting the creation of jobs and economic development. However, this argument is outdated, as it has been widely discredited that stadiums benefit the local economy. Instead, it appears that the A’s resorted to paying lawmakers campaign donations to secure their support.
Nevertheless, the Nevada State Education Association is taking action to prevent the allocation of public funds to wealthy individuals. The teachers’ union has filed a lawsuit arguing that the bill to fund the stadium is unconstitutional. They contend that the entire state should not bear the debt burden and that it should be solely the responsibility of Clark County, where the A’s intend to build the stadium. The teachers also believe that the decision to fund the stadium should be put to a public vote rather than being determined solely by lawmakers.
It is worth noting that in 2016, Nevada lawmakers approved $750 million in public funds for the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium, even though team owner Mark Davis is already wealthy. Additionally, Nevada ranks poorly in terms of education, with low rankings in citizen education, educational attainment, school quality, and public school systems. Instead of investing in billionaires who own sports teams, it would be more beneficial to direct funds towards improving the state’s education system. Furthermore, the Raiders’ value has significantly increased since moving to Las Vegas, while the team pays no property taxes since the stadium is owned by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.
A search for “Nevada schools” and “cutbacks” reveals numerous results detailing budget cuts to schools across the state. Despite providing substantial public funding to attract the Raiders, the state legislature has made significant cutbacks to vital programs, including education. Nevada has consistently ranked poorly in terms of school funding and educational support. This highlights the issue of late-stage capitalism, whereby lawmakers can be influenced by campaign donations to prioritize sports teams over education. However, it is essential to prioritize education over sports stadiums as it directly impacts the future generation.
The allocation of public funds to billionaires for sports stadiums has been a longstanding issue. Economist Andrew Zimbalist reveals that between 1970 and 2020, $33 billion in taxpayer money was used to build sports stadiums. However, studies consistently show that these stadiums do not generate employment or income growth as expected. Moreover, depending on the financing arrangements, taxpayers may even suffer financial losses. It is surprising that more organizations have not challenged the flow of tax dollars into the pockets of billionaires.
Although the Nevada legislature could not have predicted the impact of a global pandemic on the tourism industry when they approved $750 million for Allegiant Stadium, it is still difficult to justify prioritizing sports stadiums over education. Investing in the education of future citizens should always take precedence over funding sports stadiums. It is unfair to deprive children of quality education in favor of appeasing sports fans. Teachers, who have already faced numerous challenges in recent years, should not have to fight for how Nevada allocates its funds. It is clear that Nevada lawmakers do not prioritize the education of their constituents.