Idon’t understand why any public body would donate tens of millions, or more, for a private business that is thriving itself. Yet that’s what is happening with private sports team owners.

Back in the 1970s, private interests here pushed for a domed stadium. Sound familiar? Voters kicked it out. And the Browns owner then, Art Modell, wasn’t too happy about the idea, either; the pro-dome committee wanted some revenue from the stadium.

At the time, Regardie’s, a Washington, D.C., business magazine no longer published, did a story on NFL stadium income. It noted that the Browns earned more from luxury loges than all but two teams – the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. Modell kept loge, concession, scoreboard and related stadium income for himself. No wonder he feared what the pro-

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