Paulson stadium: Was the "fix in" back in '07?
An alert reader comes across evidence that the Portland city government was making stadium renovation promises to the "major league" (by U.S. standards) soccer league more than 18 months ago. At that time, the commissioner of the league told some folks up in Vancouver (the real Vancouver) so:
"Two of the many cities that Vancouver is competing with for an expansion franchise are Portland and Montreal," said Garber. "Both of those cities are in the mix because they have stadium plans in place. It's hard to imagine Vancouver being part of MLS without a proper stadium."Fascinating. Plans that were "in place," and yet the residents of the city heard nothing about them from their elected representatives. What a town.
| Posted at 8:38 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (4)
I don't know, I think Garber is just being a player and exploiting the weak-minded types that run local govt in each city.
Glad to hear Portland isn't the only place desperate enough to believe MLS will make them major league.
BTW - What about the Lakers and Artest? and I thought SA had the inside track.
Posted by Steve | July 3, 2009 9:20 AM
Your clock says only about 3 days before Adams recall effort may be launched. Odds makers don't give it much chance because the serious money folks maybe fear the alternatives as much as the "disease." Even small money folks like me fear the alternatives. Nonetheless, there's some satisfaction in kicking someone out for lieing to help him or herself get elected.
Posted by Bob Clark | July 3, 2009 12:51 PM
2007 or 1907? The fix has been in for a long time. Matt Taibbi - one of the only hip writers to plunge into this financial mess - has a new look at the Paulsons' old firm, Goldman Sachs, and its key role in our bubble/crash economy. Here's the first paragraph:
"The first thing you need to know about Goldman Sachs is that it's everywhere. The world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money."
Henry Paulson - former head of Goldman Sachs and TARP - is reportedly a 20% owner of the Beavers and Timbers. Why are we giving more cash to this guy? Why are we subsidizing the hourly wages of concession workers so that Henry Paulson's stake can be worth more? It's beyond crazy, especially when this greed-fest is threatening the survival of America.
Of course, the local press is too polite, corrupt, and lazy to check into it, but the soccer deal is part of a tradition going back to the Great Depression. This is all part of a financial mess that could end up bankrupting America, so naturally, our politicians and news editors are doing nothing to stop it.
Instead, they're helping the rich and powerful stick it to you.
Happy 4th of July, everyone.
Posted by Bill McDonald | July 3, 2009 2:03 PM
"Henry Paulson - former head of Goldman Sachs and TARP - is reportedly a 20% owner of the Beavers and Timbers."
True. Don't forget he made sure TARP kept AIG alive so AIG could pay all of its insruance claims to GS - all without strings to GS.
Posted by Steve | July 3, 2009 6:54 PM