Playing the game
As teams and SEA feud, let the lease rule
Another Pittsburgh sports team is accusing the citycounty Sports & Exhibition Authority of dragging its feet on venue upgrades and failing to operate in a collaborative manner. The Pirates’ criticism over improvements at PNC Park became public in December. The Steelers went on the offensive Wednesday, with president Art Rooney II complaining that a dysfunctional relationship with the SEA threatens Heinz Field improvements and the feasibility of attracting special events, such as the Super Bowl.
There’s no question that the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins have contributed to Pittsburgh’s comeback and that PNC Park, Heinz Field and PPG Paints Arena have been worth the huge sums taxpayers invested in their construction. As important as sports are, however, the teams shouldn’t automatically get everything they want.
The SEA doesn’t work for the Pirates or Steelers. It works for the taxpayers, who own the venues and lease them to the teams. The agency must evaluate proposed upgrades and determine whether public money should pay for them. It shouldn’t be rushed or bullied into making a decision.
If the terms of the lease require that the proposed upgrades be covered by public funds — specifically “capital reserve” money generated by a surcharge on ticket sales — so be it. If the proposed improvements are beyond the scope of the lease, the team can skip the upgrades or arrange alternative financing for them. The Steelers are no more entitled to extras than the apartment tenant who has utilities included in his lease but wants the landlord to spring for a new entertainment center.
The SEA’s due diligence has paid off for taxpayers before, something the Steelers should remember better than anyone. In 2012, the team sued the SEA over funding for 3,000 more seats and an additional scoreboard. The team lost the suit and agreed to pay for the work itself.
Now, the Steelers’ wish list includes replacement of the initial scoreboard and a $25 million expansion of the Great Hall — and the team says there’s ample capital reserve money to pay for them. Beyond that, Mr. Rooney questioned the SEA’s “commitment” and vision for the future, and he cited a re-lationship that’s become “more difficult as the years have gone on.”
Lawsuits like the one the Steelers filed in 2012 aren’t exactly relationshipbuilders. Nonetheless, the SEA’s attorney, Morgan Hanson, maintains that “the parties have worked together diligently and professionally.”
As we said about the SEA’s dispute with the Pirates, proper interpretation of the lease is the important issue here. But if the Steelers and SEA can’t agree on what the lease requires, they need to resolve their differences without litigation this time. Money wasted in court would be better spent sprucing up the stadium.