I'm not advocating one way or the other, as I no longer reside in Cleveland. However, all recent research refutes what you are saying; Publicly funding stadiums for billionaires, and a non-profit organization like the NFL (i.e. non taxed organization), is slowly being proven to be one of the most fiscally irresponsible thing cities can do. There is a direct correlation between bankrupt cities and publicly funded stadiums; the dollars spent by citizens are never matched by the amount of "tourism" or "event" cash brought in by the stadium. These leagues rely on the fear of relocation in order to take advantage of working class and city dwellers. There is little doubt that investing in they city's infrastructure and education systems would be a far better long term plan to improve the city...but long term investments are never shiny and attractive; not to mention that elected city officials would be run out of town should we lose a sports franchise that is costing the city millions, and therefore do whatever is needed in the short-term to stay in office;
Even Jerry Jones, who self-funded his billion dollar stadium did so with the veil of a lifetime tax abatement...a lifetime tax abatement that the people of Arlington will pick up the slack for at the tune of $6M per year....
Essentially, the NFL specifically, and sports franchises in general, rely on people thinking you should pony up some of your hard earned working class dollars, in order to line the pockets of a few select billionaires.
