Like Rachel Bitecofer (“A New Civic Stadium,” July 6), my family and I have enjoyed attending Eugene Emeralds baseball games over the years. However, I have a hard time moving beyond feel-good memories to the assertion that “the city of Eugene should … build a new stadium for the Eugene Emeralds.”

Minor league baseball teams are businesses. At least one student of mine who looked into the matter found that they can be highly profitable businesses. We are told a new stadium will serve as a gathering place where new friendships can be formed and we can strengthen social bonds. Never mentioned by Bitecofer was an estimate of the cost of a new stadium or an estimate of the economic benefits it will bring. Also not mentioned is that using city money to fund a new stadium may merely serve to line the pockets of already wealthy team owners.

Rick Mowday
Eugene

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