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2015 ASG good for Cincy, bad for county taxpayers

Cincinnati RedsIt will cost Hamilton County taxpayers $5 million to spiff up Great American Ball Park for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game, as routine repairs to the home of the Cincinnati Reds are accelerated.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

A separate “2015 All-Star Game Ball Park Preparation” memo shows just what the $5 million will pay for.

The exterior needs concrete repair, painting and waterproofing. The interior needs rust removal and re-coating of metal decks. Also needed: updates to the public address, heating and air conditioning, security and fire prevention systems. The club house, press box and Diamond Club need waterproofing; the press box and other areas need new carpets and the kitchen needs new floors, according to the memo.

In 2009, the Reds cut a deal with the county when the team agreed to pay the $10 million cost of replacing Great American Ball Park’s scoreboard system. Legally, they could have forced the county pay for it.

None of this is glamorous work, and it’s hard to say that the owner of the facility shouldn’t pay for things like waterproofing. The Reds are allotted $1 million annually for maintenance, but this move merely accelerates the repair schedule.

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