It’s officially free-money season for multiple owners.
Twice this month, a pair of old-guard AFL franchises have finagled some money for nothing from public entities. First, the Bills. Now, the Titans.
According to the Tennessean, the Tennessee House and Senate passed a budget that includes $500 million for a new football venue in Nashville. The money will come from a bond that is estimated to cost taxpayer $710 million over the next two decades.
Things got a little dicey for the Titans on Wednesday, when the Senate remove the stadium project from its version of the budget. On Thursday, it returned.
Eventually, the House passed the measure by a vote of 71-19, and the Senate did so with a vote of 18-13.
The balance of the funding for the stadium, which could cost as much as $2 billion, will come from the city, the Titans, and the NFL. The private contribution will be $700 million. Still, that would result a record amount of public funding -- by far -- with up to $1.5 billion in taxpayer money eventually being diverted to the project.