Group of Local Businessmen Oppose Proposed Boise Sports Stadium

You've probably heard a lot of excitement about the proposed mixed-use Boise stadium.  Now, some business leaders from Boise have joined up to share their opposition to the plan.

They have named their group the Concerned Boise Taxpayers, and with a visit to their website you will see they say "We are citizens of Boise, business owners, and taxpayers.  We support sports, development, and a vibrant economy.  But we oppose the proposed 'Boise Stadium Project.'"

The group is co-chaired by Gary Michael who was formerly the CEO of Albertsons, and Bill Ilett, who was the former managing partner of the Idaho Stampede.

They lay out the reason for their opposition for the project as:

• Boise is overtaxed
• Taypayers take the risk on the project
• These projects fail
• The demand isn't there
• The current location works

They highlight that over 50% of property in Boise is already off the tax rolls, that the owners of the teams proposing this are from out of town, but want local money to pay for the stadium while they will benefit from the development, and note that similar projects have had poor results in numerous cities.

They also call on their own experiences to demonstrate that our population doesn't have the support for new teams (and struggle some times with our current).

If you want to take a deeper look into their arguments and research, check out the Concerned Boise Taxpayers website.