The Indianapolis Colts believe they’ve already done their part to help the city’s cash-strapped stadium agency.
And they’re taking their argument outside the legislative halls and straight to the fans.
On Thursday, the team e-mailed a letter to season ticket holders defending its position that the $100 million contribution owner Jim Irsay made to building Lucas Oil Stadium should suffice.
But the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board, which is expected to have a $43 million deficit because of operating costs at the Colts’ new stadium and Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, needs more money and city and state leaders are asking Indianapolis’ two major sports franchises to chip in.
The letter went out one day before a panel of lawmakers was set to meet to try to reach a compromise on a bill to fund the board before the Legislature adjourns Wednesday.
“The Colts made a 30-year commitment to the community,” the letter reads. “Those written agreements, signed nearly four years ago, committed the team to this community for the next 30 years with no option to renegotiate, regardless of any financial downturns that might arise.”
Colts officials contend some of the statements made during the continuing debate have been misleading or simply untrue, though the letter did not cite any specific remarks.
A team spokesman said the Colts would not elaborate on anything contained in the letter.
“I’m glad to see them get out and start explaining their situation. When I met with Jim Irsay and (Colts president )Bill Polian, I told them they were getting blistered and I told them they needed to get their story out,” said Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman.
He said it was important for the Colts to be involved in the solution to the CIB’s troubles.
The Associated Press also left a message with an assistant to Rep. William Crawford, D-Indianapolis, the House Ways and Means Committee chairman.
The plan the state Senate approved mirrors a proposal suggested by Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. Ballard proposed raising alcohol and car rental taxes in Marion County, hopes to expand a local Professional Sports Development Authority district to capture $8.8 million in sales and income taxes, wants the Pacers and Colts to kick in $5 million each and has cut the CIB budget by $8 million. Neither team has agreed to the deal, which is now in the hands of a House-Senate conference committee.
After testifying in front of state leaders recently, Polian took issue with one lawmaker’s contention that everyone needs to have “skin in the game,” a point reiterated in the letter.
“We have contributed over $100 Million to the construction of the facility and it is simply untrue for anyone to suggest we don’t have ‘skin in the game,’ ” the letter said. “In essence, the risk of financial success in a small market has been shifted from the city solely to the Colts.”
The Colts contend that their 30-year agreement with the city does not allow for renegotiation, that the team is not looking for any special favors and that the new deal removed previous financial guarantees from the city that had been included in the RCA Dome deal.
Kenley, however, said the team did have the right to renegotiate under certain circumstances.
Still, the letter said, Irsay has been meeting with Kenley and Ballard, while other team officials have been meeting with the CIB and legislative leaders.
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