You've got to give the Atlanta Hawks credit, they've played taxpayers like the Harlem Globetrotters blowing past the Washington Generals.
You remember the Generals? They were the team that stood in a stupor as the Globetrotters ran around, underneath and over them, performing magic tricks with the basketball. The Hawks, while pretty good on the court this year, are unbeatable off, having worked out deals with taxpayers in three cities to build or renovate facilities for them.
Last week, it was College Park agreeing to build a 3,500-seat arena for the team's minor league team. Earlier this month, it was Atlanta gawking as billionaire owner Tony Ressler scored an easy layup, getting the city to pony up $142.5 million to renovate 17-year-old Philips Arena. The Hawks will kick in 50 mil.
And last spring, the new city of Brookhaven agreed to abate $6.5 million in taxes to get the Hawks to build a practice facility in town.
College Park, the newest, is putting up at least $10 million in the hope that some of the Hawks' fiscal magic rubs off.
Handing over taxpayer millions to a billionaire. Is that the way to play? Is that the way to win?
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