Tag

Public Funding

All articles tagged with #public funding

local-news23 days ago•2 min saved

Fraud allegations hit LA homelessness funding as two nonprofit workers are arrested

Federal prosecutors allege millions were siphoned from LA homelessness funding via two nonprofit workers: Michael Young, founder of Home At Last, embezzled more than $7.5 million to fund a restaurant and entertainment ventures; Lakiya Malone accepted over $180,000 in bribes from another nonprofit director; a third executive, Donye Mitchell of The Big Blue Umbrella, is being sought on wire-fraud charges for about $1.2 million in grants used for personal expenses; the case is led by a homelessness-fraud task force.

via The Guardian|

#corruption #fraud #local-news

sports1 month ago•3 min saved

Allegiant Stadium to receive $75M public upgrade to improve fan flow

The Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved $75 million in public funds as part of a $158 million plan to improve access to Allegiant Stadium, with the Raiders covering the remaining costs. The project focuses on directing fans to the north side by extending the elevated walkway to relieve congestion. Work will begin after the current season and is slated for completion by the 2029 Super Bowl.

via NBC Sports|

#allegiant-stadium #fan-flow-improvement #las-vegas-raiders

local1 month ago•6 min saved

Tampa Clears Path for Rays Stadium With Public-Funding Approval

Tampa City Council approved the Rays’ stadium funding package (roughly $876 million in public money toward a $2.3 billion project), with the team providing about $1.4 billion in private funds and handling cost overruns; construction could start soon if Hillsborough County approves its share, aiming for Opening Day 2029 near the Dale Mabry Campus in Tampa.

via MLB Trade Rumors|

#hillsborough-county #local #public-funding

entertainment1 month ago•19 min saved

Madrid-Backed Woody Allen Film Includes City-Name Clause and Festival Premiere

Woody Allen’s next film, set in Madrid and produced by Wanda Vision, Gravier Productions, and 3SIX9 Studios, will receive about €3 million in public funding from the Madrid Regional Government and Madrid City Council, with an estimated €4 million more to be raised from tax credits, ICAA, and a TV prebuy; the roughly $11.4 million budget requires the title to include the word 'Madrid' and a festival premiere, with at least 15% exterior filming in the city and most of the investment spent there to support jobs and screen tourism as Madrid seeks to boost its profile through Allen’s movie.

via Variety|

#entertainment #film-financing #madrid

sports1 month ago•6 min saved

Royals Find Rhythm On Field, Stadium Debate Dominates KC Headlines

The Royals’ lineup returns to balance with the returns of Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel García, fueling a win and proving the management’s envisioned depth when the lineup is fully together. Separately, Lucas Erceg’s pitching arsenal is analyzed as he works to rebound in 2027. Off the field, KC releases new stadium renderings ahead of a pivotal city council committee meeting where a protester was removed, as debate over a roughly $1.9B downtown ballpark—largely funded by taxpayers—intensifies, with critics warning the public cost could soar and votes could be delayed, underscoring how stadium politics are eclipsing on-field news.

via Royals Review|

#baseball #kansas-city-royals #local-government

business1 month ago•2 min saved

Timbers Owner Urges Regional Leaders to Step Up as Moda Center Talks Intensify

Merritt Paulson, owner of the Portland Timbers, says the Trail Blazers can’t leave Portland and uses the Moda Center renovation negotiations to urge regional leaders to make the city more attractive for investment. While not committing to taxpayer funding, he warns the region should heed the implications of the dispute, as the Blazers seek about $600 million in public money and Providence Park has already drawn roughly $145 million in private investments.

via Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB|

#business #merritt-paulson #moda-center

science-and-public-policy1 month ago•32 min saved

Taxpayer Funds, Indigenous Lore, and the Erosion of Scientific Rigor

A Skeptic magazine piece argues New Zealand government funding has increasingly backed projects based on Māori knowledge that lack empirical support, from lunar-phase health claims (NZ$1.2M) and lunar calendar birth outcomes (NZ$400K) to kauri-tree healing using whale products (NZ$1.1M) and a government-funded Antarctica documentary (NZ$400K). It contends that cultural sentiment is lowering the scientific bar, leading to publicly funded research built on anecdotes or untested mechanisms rather than robust evidence. The article also covers the Polynesian Antarctic voyage claim, the subsequent scholarly rebuttal, and a 2024–2026 pattern of funding that critics say privileges culture over rigorous science, urging unwavering evaluation of evidence regardless of origin.

via Skeptic|

#antarctica #indigenous-knowledge #maori

sports1 month ago•37 min saved

Bears weigh a new home beyond Soldier Field: Arlington Heights or Hammond in focus

Chicago Bears are weighing a move from Soldier Field with Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana as leading options; Hammond has received official backing for a stadium project, while Illinois lawmakers adjourned without advancing a key megaproject bill, prompting a decision by spring or summer on a 2030 opening. The plan contemplates about $3.2 billion in costs, with roughly $2 billion from private sources, about $900 million from the state and NFL support, financed through bonds repaid by a hotel-tax levy; Halas Hall will stay in Lake Forest. A relocation would reshape the region and draw scrutiny over taxes, traffic and community impact.

via Chicago Tribune|

#arlington-heights #bears-stadium #chicago-bears

local2 months ago•7 min saved

Highmark Stadium Will Add 6% Surcharge to Purchases During Bills Events

A 6% Erie County surcharge is being added to tickets, parking, concessions, merchandise, and other purchases at Highmark Stadium for Bills games and other events, with the funds deposited into a county-run account to support ongoing capital improvements and repairs under the stadium lease.

via WKBW|

#buffalo-bills #concessions #erie-county-surcharge

sports2 months ago•6 min saved

Bills defend $2.2B Highmark Stadium amid sightline backlash

The Buffalo Bills defended their $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium amid social-media backlash over obstructed sightlines, with COO Pete Guelli saying fewer than 1% of PSL holders reported issues and vowing case-by-case resolutions; critics highlighted video-board size and crowd-flow concerns, while the team argued some obstruction is inevitable and that presentation elements will be refined as the venue opens.

via Fox News|

#buffalo-bills #nfl #public-funding

energy2 months ago•12 min saved

Wyoming town splits over Gates-backed Natrium nuclear plant

Kemmerer, WY is divided over TerraPower’s Natrium, a Gates-backed small modular reactor funded with about $2 billion in public subsidies; supporters say it will create thousands of construction jobs and provide carbon-free baseload power as coal declines, while opponents warn about safety, waste, and the wisdom of public funding for a billionaire-led project.

via USA Today|

#energy #kemmerer #natrium

local-government2 months ago•1 min saved

Multnomah County commits $101M to Moda Center renovation amid arena funding push

Multnomah County approved a term sheet committing up to $101 million toward renovating the Moda Center as part of a roughly $600 million public funding package for the Portland Trail Blazers’ arena. The 4-1 vote starts negotiations with the City of Portland, which must contribute about $120 million, while Oregon’s $365 million state funding is already approved but contingent on local contributions, with a December vote to finalize the deal.

via Blazer's Edge|

#arena-renovation #local-government #moda-center

politics2 months ago•4 min saved

Portland Council wrestles with $400M Moda Center deal for the Blazers

Portland’s City Council heard hours of testimony on a draft term sheet for a Moda Center renovation that could total about $400 million in public subsidies and require the Blazers to stay in Portland for 20 years, with proposed amendments to boost city benefits—such as capturing parking revenue, raising ticket surcharges, boosting charitable giving, and strengthening labor protections—ahead of an Aug. 12 final vote.

via Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB|

#city-council #moda-center #politics

sports2 months ago•7 min saved

Demanding Facts in Portland's Arena Deal

An open letter to Dewayne Hankins criticizing his remarks during a Portland City Council work session on Moda Center renovations, urging the Blazers to provide data-backed, transparent details for a proposed up-to-$600 million public investment and questioning deferred maintenance claims, SB 1501 implications, and the lack of a precise scope of work.

via Blazer's Edge|

#blazers #moda-center #portland

local2 months ago•4 min saved

Blazers weigh meeting with Portland on Moda Center lease amid funding stalemate

Portland’s Trail Blazers and the city remain far apart on a new 20-year Moda Center lease as negotiations center on public funding and how the funds would be used; the City Council is set to vote Aug. 12 on the draft term sheet, while owner Tom Dundon has signaled a deal only with roughly $575 million in public funding. The state’s package depends on local funding, with $208 million to be provided locally and $120 million already earmarked by the city, though details and uses are still unclear. The Blazers have been reluctant to share specifics or commit to a Thursday work session, and leaders on both sides have publicly pressed for more transparency amid ongoing talks.

via The New York Times|

#arena-lease #local #moda-center