Let's all give money to the rich man! Billionaire sports team owners and their corporate welfare scam.

• Author: Bagge, Peter
• Position: Culture and Reviews Comic

THE "KINGDOME'" WAS A CONCRETE EYESORE THAT SERVED AS HOME FOR SEATTLE'S PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL.

WOW! NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL AN IMPLOSION!

BACKIN 1976, THE N.F.L. DECREED THE ONLY WAY THE CITY COULD, "WIN" AN EXPANSION FRANCHISE OR HOST A SUPERBOWL (HA!) WAS IF IT BUILT AN INDOOR STADIUM ...

THIS IS WAY MORE ENTERTAINING THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN INSIDE THAT PLACE!

SEATTLE'S INFAMOUS RAINFALL IS WHAT DEEMED THIS REQUIREMENT NECESSARY, IN SPITE OF OUR BONE-DRY SUMMERS AND REGULARLY SOLD-OUT 80,000 SEAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL STADIUM ...

BUT THE LOCAL POLITICIANS CAVED IN TO THIS ABSURD DEMAND, I BUILDING THAT ALL-PURPOSE MONSTROSITY AT THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE ...

AND WE'RE STILL. PAYING FOR IT, SEVEN YEARS AFTER WE BLEW THAT PLACE UP!

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EVERYONE QUICKLY' GREW TO DESPISE THE PLACE--A FACT THAT ALLOWED THE TEAMS' NEW OWNERS TO BELLYACHE FOR EVEN NEWER STADIUMS ...

THE MARINERS' GEORGE ARGYROS

THIS FACILITY IS UNSUITABLE FOR BASEBALL

THE SEAHAWKS' KEN BEHRING

WITHOUT A NEW STRUCTURE FOOTBALL IS DOOMED TO FAIL IN THIS TOWN.

THESE TWO SHADY CHARACTERS INVESTED NEXT TO NOTHING IN IMPROVING THEIR RESPECTIVE TEAMS, BUT THEY BOTH SOLD THEIR "WORTHLESS" FRANCHISES FOR FIVE TIMES WHAT THEY PAID FOR THEM.

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BY 1995, THE CITY WAS ENJOYING. BOTH A BOOMING. ECONOMY AND IT'S, FIRST-EVER WINNING BASEBALL SEASON--A PERFECT TIME TO NIT UP THE PUBLIC FOR A NEW STADIUM, RIGHT?

JAY BUNNER

C'MON SEATTLE! NOW THAT WE'RE FINALLY DOING OUR JOBS, HOW ABOUT REWARDING US WITH A NEW BALL-PARKS?

KEN GRIFFEY JR.

OTHERWISE I'M OUTTA HERE AS SOON AS MY CONTACTS UP!*

*HE LEFT ANYWAY

YET THE vOTERS REJECTED TH,S PROPOSAL, AND YOU'D THINK THE BEGGING WOULD HAVE ENDED THERE ...

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ONLY THE STATE LEGISLATURE THEN STEPPED IN TO CORRECT THIS MISTAKE, RAISING TAXES ON HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, AND RENTAL CARS TO PAY FOR THE NEW BALLFIELD ...

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, AND ONCE AGAIN THEY WERE WRONG ...

IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO FINANCE MY CAMPAIGNS WHO TRULY MATTER ...

AND I SAY LET'S BUILD 'EM A STADIUM!

HURRAH!

WHICH THE LEGISLATORS CYNICALLY REFERRED TO AS A "TOURIST TAX," IMPLYING THAT ONLY OUT-OF-TOWNERS RENT CARS AND HOTEL ROOMS, SO THE TAX WASN'T COSTING US RESIDENTS A THING!

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THOSE SAME HAPLESS "TOURISTS" ARE ALSO FUNDING OUR BRAND-NEW FOOTBALL STADIUM--WHICH WAS APPROVED BY 51 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AFTER NEW OWNER PAUL ALLEN AGREED TO CHIP IN $100 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY ...

$100 MILLION ISN'T EXACTLY CHUMP CHANGE ...

WELL, MAYBE FOR ME IT IS ...

STILL, GIMME SOME CREDIT!

AWWW! WE LOVE YA, PAUL!

NOW BUY US ANOTHER BEER!

EVEN THOUGH THAT ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY ONE-FOURTH OF THE TOTAL PRICE OF THE STADIUM! THANKS...