Portland Pirates Live Up To Their Nickname (By Taking Taxpayer Booty and Running)

Tax money may renovate an arena or stadium, but it won't buy loyalty.

This is just the latest example of why you should never use public funds to build or renovate a stadium or arena in hopes of attracting a team to the area, or keeping one in place.

Last week, The Portland Pirates franchise announced they were being bought by a group of investors who plan on moving the franchise to Springfield, Ma.

In 2013, The Pirates made a little noise about leaving town unless local taxpayers helped pay for a $34 million renovation of the downtown arena. The public voted for it, and two years into a 5-year lease, the team is packing up and heading out after 23 seasons. See ya!

Now, the Cross Insurance Arena and it's vendors have lost at least 33 home dates, not to mention all the vendors and local establishments that will be missing out on the monies those dates brought in.

This scenario hardly ever ends well. Remember when Robert Kraft threatened to move the team to Hartford unless taxpayers paid for a new stadium? Well, that deal fell through and eventually Mr. Kraft built what is now known as Gillette Stadium with his own money. A rare instance indeed.

The St. Louis Rams just moved back to Los Angeles because tax payers wouldn't pony up the cash for a new stadium (the dome in St.Louis is barely 20 years old), and the great fan base the Oakland Raiders enjoy are constantly hearing their team may move because the public won't finance a new stadium.

There was never a more loyal fan base than in Brooklyn for their beloved Dodgers. But the taxpayers drew the line at helping to finance a new stadium in the 50's, and that was that.

So sorry taxpayers in the Portland area. As the saying goes, a lesson lived is a lesson learned.