When It Comes to a New Stadium, John Oliver Tells Saint Louis to “Make Them Pay!”

Corporate Welfare | July 15, 2015

By Joseph Miller | Read Time 1 minute

Last week, comedian John Oliver took on the public funding of sports stadiums on his popular HBO show, Last Week Tonight. The segment echoed the conclusions of economists and our previous writings: Stadiums do not generate economic development and are unlikely to expand tax revenue for cities. With a great deal of humor (and some off-color language), Oliver argues billionaire owners should pay for their own stadiums, and that Saint Louis is much more than just the Rams. Watch the video here.

About the Author

Joseph Miller

Joseph Miller was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute. He focused on infrastructure, transportation, and municipal issues. He grew up in Itasca, Ill., and earned an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a master’s degree from the University of California-San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, with a concentration in international economics and China studies.

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