Tax Money for Soccer Stadium?

Lowman Henry on the wisdom - or lack thereof - of using $45 million in taxpayer subsidies to build a soccer stadium in Pennsylvania.

There are a couple of news stories on the push for soccer stadium subsidies in the Collinsville Herald and in the Philadelphia Inquirer which ends like this:

"[Soccer] still is America's fifth sport. Or sixth if you throw in NASCAR. Seventh if you throw in lacrosse," said the former Broomall resident and Atoms fan. "But it can be a niche sport, because America's psyche has changed. A pro team can be supported with a small but loyal fan base."

By my estimation, soccer ranks below golf, tennis, and poker as well. And while the GrassrootsPA discussion has some defenders of soccer (as a sport, not as appropriate for taxpayer subsidy), no one can identify an American city that has seen economic revitalization due to a new soccer team.