As a keen observer of the foibles of human conduct, Sir Walter Scott would no doubt have applied his famous quote to the machinations of the Braves and Cobb County government when he wrote: “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” The latest installment in their long and sorry record of web-weaving is their brazen attempt to foist the cost of a pedestrian bridge onto the backs of the taxpayer.
As reported recently in the AJC, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to allocate $750,000 for engineering and design work for a pedestrian bridge over I-285 to connect the new Braves stadium with parking facilities at the Galleria and Cumberland Mall. This should be seen as a down payment on a project that may cost as much as $25 million, but that is being low-balled by the county to cost between $6 million and $9 million to deceive taxpayers of its true cost.
Regardless of cost, why should taxpayers pay for the bridge at all? Its purpose is to benefit a for-profit, multi-billion-dollar corporation, Liberty Media, so that more people can park and, therefore, attend games at the new stadium. After already soaking the taxpayer with $397 million to build the stadium, adding this cost is an outrage.
It is also an example of what a poor job the county did negotiating the Braves deal. In the county’s haste to ram this deal down the throats of local taxpayers, officials failed to include a provision that any expenses above the $397 million should be borne by the entity that will benefit most directly by it — Liberty Media.
Moreover, in their rush to conclude a deal, county officials failed to plan for sufficient parking. They are now hoping the owners and tenants of the Galleria and Cumberland Mall will have no problem turning over their parking spaces to swarms of baseball fans – and tailgating parties — on game days.
Another elephant in the room of unplanned-for expenses will be the need to provide tram service to cover the vast parking areas at the mall and Galleria.
To soften the blow to taxpayers, county leaders are touting the prospect that a portion of the cost might — and I emphasize the word, “might” — be assumed by the state and/or federal government.
Assuming that happens, that does not make it right. We don’t need to bolster the bottom line of the mis-named Liberty Media by adding to a federal budget deficit of $18 trillion. Besides, there is a good chance the criteria for receiving federal or state funds for this bridge will not be met. Thus, the county and the Braves are operating on a hope and a prayer that the $750,000 payment for design work won’t be a waste.
Unless, of course, the tab can be sent to Liberty Media officials. Indeed, if they want it badly enough — and I’m not arguing there isn’t a need — they should pay for it.
Going forward, taxpayers should insist any additional costs related to building a new stadium should be assumed by Liberty Media. That is not too much to ask.
Lance Lamberton is chairman of the Cobb Taxpayers Association.
