For economists the public financing of Major League baseball stadiums does not make sense.

"Subsidized stadiums require subsidies forever," says Scott Wallsten, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. "And they don't generate benefits to the neighborhood, typically. The jobs they create are small in number, low paid, and temporary."

But there are other non-economic advantages to having a team in the city. Culturally a team can bring a community together and offers an enjoyable entertainment option.