Again, I just feel it's a very nuanced topic.
A stadium was built in my city several years ago, and for me it has occasionally caused a moderate inconvenience, and had no upside. Some of my neighbors really like it, though.
We might want one, but we don't need one. If we needed one someone would build one, same as we build restaurants, bars, refineries, breweries, manufacturing, etc without any subsidies from the gov.
I would love one for my small business, on a related note, I can't even count the times I have watched my city give millions in tax breaks to bring in already successful, wealthy, large businesses and give the local ones jack shi.
I consider "commercial or housing development" a plus, than the purpose itself.
Do they need most things? No, of course not do the people living there want the ability to easily attempt stadium events YES.
Many people don’t like sports and find them a nuisance. The idea that they not only cause traffic but cost us money while making only a select few people extremely rich is nauseating.
Do they? And if it's such a good idea, why doesn't basic capitalism fund them completely?
San Diego finally got rid of the pox that was the Spanos family and seem to be doing much better for it.