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Pacers CEO: “Everything Is on the Table”

Indiana Pacers Chief Executive Office Jim Morris says that everything is on the table in order to reach a fair and equitable settlement with the city, state and Capital Improvement Board over the operational costs of Conseco Fieldhouse.

Morris made his comments today at a news conference outlining a new health initiative in Indiana.

The Pacers are telling local officials that they can no longer cover the costs of operating Conseco Fieldhouse, which runs about $15 million annually.  Morris says the team is committed to being in Indiana for the next 50 years so they are open to finding an agreement that can make that happen.

Morris would not comment specifically on what the Pacers would be willing to give up in revenue should the city and CIB assume the operational costs.

State officials are looking at a number of ways to close the budget gaps for both Conseco and Lucas Oil.

In a news conference this morning, State Senate Pro Tem David Long said lawmakers are looking at making the solution as much of a Marion County one as possible.   However he did also note that when looking at user fees and having those who benefit from the facilities help pay for them, the public should know that the entire area benefits from events at the stadium, fieldhouse and  convention center, not just downtown Indianapolis.

Posted: 03|26|09 at 12:03 pm by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • patriot paul

    re: ‘making the solution as much of a Marion County one as possible’

    I can tell you that if Marion County taxpayers have to bite the financial bullet for the unprofessional and incompetent city makers of the contract, then the people will have something to say, and will say it loud.

  • http://www.hoosiersforfairtaxation.com Melyssa

    http://ruthholladay.com/index.php?blog=1&title=pacers_at_the_trough&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#comments

    Ruth Holloday reports on a Cancun junket that Pacer’s owner sent a lot of Indy’s so-called elites on.
    .
    Looks like your “good friend” Jim Shella’s Channel 8 was on the trip.
    .
    Abdul? Who from Channel 8 was on that trip?

  • Jack

    Reality check time: if the attendees/users and the businesses that directly benefit from an activity are not willing (or able) to handle the financial aspects then just maybe it is time to be real honest and say bye-bye. Subsidizing can not and should not be the way to handle anything. This is definitely not something that I think should be contributed to by the state–I do not attend, do not benefit as a business —and any comparison to a library as did Mr. Long is streching things a bit too far. And, yes, I would have user fees for the library—if you use something then pay fair share.

  • Greg

    Morris, Early, Tobias, Peterson, etc. etc. etc. How much longer are the people of Indy going to put up with this small cabal of self appointed czars? The golden rule. Those who retain the gold, rule.

  • Greg

    Morris, Early, Tobias, Peterson, etc. etc. etc. How much longer are the people of Indy going to put up with this small cabal of self appointed czars? The golden rule. Those who retain the gold, rule.

  • http://www.hoosiersforfairtaxation.com Melyssa

    One would have thought that Abdul’s “good friend” Jim Shella would have reported on the many facts surrounding the sports billionaire bailouts the PRACTICING members of the bar spoke of at the taxpayer revolt inside the state house yesterday.
    .
    Nope, Abdul’s “good friend” Jim Shella didn’t even mention professional sports welfare.
    .
    Our videographers were next to Shella a lot. I’m sure because he was behind a high end professional camera, Shella didn’t think he was one of us!
    .
    One of our videographers told me tonight that he heard Shella loudly goofing on taxpayers as if they were whack jobs or something like that. There might even be something caught on film…he has not had time to begin to edit it yet.
    .
    I heard the same comments from two other VERY credible people who Abdul also knows and who I am not going to name (at their request).
    .
    Late this afternoon I started seeing a large state wide email chain calling for boycotts of WISH advertisers (who are the innocents in this matter).
    .
    It’s going to get ugly if people start boycotting local businesses who advertise. I don’t want to see that happen to anyone’s business. Did anyone pay attention to what happened in Missouri and how quickly people were mobilized?
    .
    As for me, I am still angered that they took my flag pole from me! That was a needless attack on a girl’s liberty! And the state troopers who did it, obviously enjoyed doing it too. Sean Shepard witnessed it. It made me cry. My flag is very meaningful to me.

  • Taxpayer 834512

    We’re- what?, number 9 nationally for foreclosures? Don’t have enough money to hire the police we need. Millions needed to fix the sewers. We’re lucky to graduate half the kids in IPS, and it’ll require major funding to swing a sociological reset to provide mentoring and/or a safety net until our societal worth of children match our expectations of tax revenue.
    .
    I enjoy cheering for the Colts and Pacers. Their ownership may be opportunistic capitalists, but probably not robber barons. IF, it were even the right thing for government to be embroiled in spending tax dollars for grown men to play ball, Indianapolis (and I daresay Indiana), can’t
    afford it given other priorities at present. To choose otherwise is to dilute our common sense even further.
    .
    If these teams are this big a deal for the owners, patrons, media, and hospitality industry- they’re going to have to take care of them themselves. I’d be nice to have both, but if we have to choose kids, schools, sewers and police over pro sports- is it really that hard a choice?

  • Think Again

    The sports franchise thing is a messy situation.

    IF we didn’t have any teams now, I certainly would not favor going after any.

    But if you honestly look at these two teams, they’re the most philanthropic and frugal in each of their leagues. Don’t get all huffy with me for observing that–it’s the truth.

    There are bigger tax breaks for other companies in this town. And tax increment financing districts that cost us plenty more. And I believe pro sport team(s) can add to the community’s image and worth. Sometimes.

    Since we have a potential mess on our hands, why not take the Pacers the way of the Packers? If we have to pony up something, let’s own part of the team. I’ve been around long enough to remember their previous owner, Sam Nassi, raping the team’s coffers. Curtains around the upper tier of MSA.

    In a small market like Indy, you have to hit on almost all cylinders to have a profitable pro sports franchise. I’m not going to rehash the stadia deals…but if we can find a solution, we ought to try.

    But my patience is wearing thin.

    Melyssa, honey…love ya like a true rebel, but why in the hell would you think you could haul a flagpole inside the Statehouse? A flag, hell yes. But a pole? Are you daft?

  • Robert-NW Side

    “Melyssa, honey…love ya like a true rebel, but why in the hell would you think you could haul a flagpole inside the Statehouse? A flag, hell yes. But a pole? Are you daft?”
    -
    Yep – carrying an unregistered flagpole without a permit is at least an ‘A’ Misdemeanor.
    -
    But, since Melyssa doesn’t get ‘special privilege’ as to certain government employees in the Peoples Statehouse, perhaps the flag pole was the only ‘arm’ she thought would be allowed.
    -
    “Visiting Statehouse? Keep the heat at home”
    http://indianalawblog.com/archives/2006/12/ind_govt_visiti.html
    -
    “We feel strongly about providing adequate security, but it comes down to personal responsibility. And you’ve got to take responsibility for your own safety,” Kent said. — Cynthia Stevens Kent, a Texas judge in the 114th District Court.
    -
    “And you’ve got to take responsibility for your own safety”, unless you’re part of the Great Unwashed (formerly known as We the People).
    -
    If the Legislature, under the Constitution, cannot regulate the carrying of arms, how can other units of government get this authority?
    Remember, we are not like Illinois, where THEIR legislature has the Constitutional authority to regulate the bearing of arms.
    -
    Melyssa, I hope the government returned your unregistered flag pole to you.

  • Think Again

    Look Robert, I relaly like Melyssa…she has some really intelligent things to say here, and she almost single-handedly enraged the citizenry regarding property taxes.

    But no one–NO ONE–should be able to carry a pole inside the Statehouse. I did not say the FLAG, just the pole.

    Idiots–certainly not Melyssa–can use such objects as weapons.

    Oh yeah, Abdul, it’s President Pro Tempore, not Pro Tem. And I think we’ve finally got a good one.

  • John Howard

    Seems to me our legislators NEED to be poked with a stick, or something.

  • pascal

    I’m thinking Senator Long is a world class fool and drinker of the kool aid. If the Pacers were purchased for $11 millions and are now worth something like $300 millions then the owners stand to achieve a significant long term profit,don’t they? If Mr. Morris can be believed, the Pacers lose money operationally, but isn’t Mr. Morris spouting half truths then, given the enormous profits previously mentioned which are available on sale of the Pacers? Legislators are generally not wizards and a solution that does not include the taxpayers getting some large part of the difference between $11 millions and $300 millions won’t be a solution.

  • http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com Paul K. Ogden

    Think Again,

    Regarding your comment, “But if you honestly look at these two teams, they’re the most philanthropic and frugal in each of their leagues.”

    I don’t know about “frugal” but calling the Colts organization “philanthropic” is a major reach. Last year after the eastside and tornado and the state-wide flooding, the Colts organization gave a whole $50,000…if the public matched their “generous” contribution.

    I think you’re confusing the players with the orgnaization. The generosity of the players, I have no problem with. But Irsay has hardly been generous with the organziation’s money when it comes to charitable events. I would venture to say that the Colts organization comparied to other NFL teams is probably about last when it comes to contributing to charity.

  • Daw-g
  • Think Again

    Paul: I am personally aware of Jim Irsay’s family’s quiet donations to at least one group that assists disabled and mentally-challenged kids. I’m sure they take the IRS deduction, but at the group’s annual event last month, their donation was listed as “anonymous.” And it’s huge.

    Don’t get me wrong, the players are very generous, too, or most of them.

    There are, I think, 65 active players on the roster now. That will dwindle as their season nears. Gather together a group of 50-60 high-paid professionals anywhere in town, and I know you’ll find a couple of malcontents.

    Granted, none has to worry about a car payment. But unless they properly invest, none will earn that kind of money, on the average, longer than a half-dozen years.

    I get kinda tired hearing folks pounce on them. When they deserve it, as the Pacers did on multiple occasions in recent years, so be it. But they did not make the stupid lease deals or related deals. Those deals did allow them to earn their big salaries–but they’d have earned them anywhere.

  • http://www.hoosiersforfairtaxation.com Melyssa

    Think again…I hear you and I would agree EXCEPT that there were four flag poles (2 on the stage I was on) that were hard metal and pointy eagles on top. Those were allowed to be there. My simple wooden flag pole with a rounded poletop was taken from me. I think if Senator Waltz says it is ok for me to have my flag, they should quietly respect me and let me have my flag.

  • Taxpayer 834512

    Besides the “opportunistic” money made from initial team investments, I have second-hand knowledge of the Irsay and Simon families doing at least their fair share on school function stuff. But, if I’m hearing agreement we need to revisit TIFs and look at the merits of city ownership, that peliminarly sounds more upstanding than spending money we don’t have, and the typical, ‘What vice and associated clientele shall we prey upon this Assembly session for additional tax revenue?’.

  • Dave

    “Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.” While I didn’t catch the author’s name, it’s nonetheless well said.

  • Bob, Silent No More

    I hope one of the things on the table is for the Pacers to move out of town…perhaps the Carmel Pacers.

  • Jack

    A concern is that one of the “solutions” is to raise hotel rates again and/or food prices—concern is that this will affect activities all year round. Being very familar with youth conventions such as the National FFA Convention which brings about 50,000+ to Indy—why should these youth groups pay for these expenses, why should they not simply leave town for good; why should any convention choose Indy. What is made up on one hand may well be lost on the other.
    Again, subsidy by the state as a whole is very distasteful even if Indy does have political strength in the legislature.

  • Robert-NW Side

    If having these ‘players’ here in Indy is so fraking great for our city, why don’t our elected reprobates put it to the People?
    -
    ‘Cause they know what the answer will be.
    -
    When the People will not voluntarily pay for something, government uses force via taxation to accomplish its agenda.
    -
    Make no mistake…government IS force.

  • John Howard

    http://www.theindychannel.com/money/19031586/detail.html#-

    Now we find out the IHSAA can’t afford the high rent at the new stadium and is looking for another venue.

  • jackson brown

    jim shella
    jim shell-ya
    jim shell-ya all out!

    i have a little birdie
    that chirps for me
    chirp chirp chirp

  • http://www.hoosiersforfairtaxation.com Melyssa

    Everything is on the table EXCEPT an audit of the Pacers’ books, right?

  • Taxpayer 834512

    Not exactly hearing a cry for that out of our dandy consumer-protective, even-handed, professional local media, are we? It appears they’d rather we keep spending money we don’t have. Must be nice to hide your books and personal biases under “right to privacy” or “journalism”, respectively.
    .
    Much as some of his own ideological quirks irk me, Abdul covers two sides of issues with caller input and interviews under the cloak of “opinion” broadcaster, a hell of a lot better than most professed journalists around here.

  • Think Again

    Melyssa, honey: Waltz is a dope. Ask around. And a bit of a fraud, but we can discuss that another time. The Statehouse folks detest him. Don’t EVER take what he says for law.

    As for the poles…stage props are one thing. But citizens can’t be brining poles into the Statehouse. This shouldn’t even be open for discussion.

    Robert: I don’t want referanda on every subject that comes down the pike. We elect representatives to make our decisions. We ought to hold them accountable for those decisions. Except for Constitutional Amendments, which ought to be damned rare and difficult, and therefore not the object of every passing whim.

    Referenda, in all but a few choice cases, are too easy. Plebicites are not our rule of law. Elections rule. Indiana, thankfullly, did not bite into that rotten apple.

    Ever been to Calif. during an election? There are always at least a dozen referrnda items on the ballot. They hand you a small book at the polling place, to read the referenda.

    It’s a complete joke.