Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Remembering the Lumber Company

Is it possible to find a less than fully covered angle to the All Star Game today? I like the Houston Chronicle's article on Phil Garner's relationship with Chuck Tanner. Go Lumber Company.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where's your commentary about the All Star game? Isn't that the best economic development activity happening in da 'burgh at the moment? The hotels filled, restaurants buzzing, famous people in the city!

C. Briem said...

well... I try to separate out blogging and anything I may be asked to do in my work. Impact analysis is something we do often and could have done an report on the ASG.. but since we didn't do such a report, there really is no reason to go spouting off. It was just one event that will not be repeated next year, so there is not much in the way of direct impact. The value of marketing the region is a much more difficult thing to quantify. I personally think it is important not to discount the contingent valuation of the public good that things like this are worth to local residents, but that is an even trickier thing to measure. In the end, any number you put out there just gets people bent out of shape, plenty will say it's too large while others will say its too small.

Mark Rauterkus said...

What happens with that 'red carpet' now that the game is over?

Is it red because of all the red ink that has spilled around here?

Tim Murray said...

The direct economic impact of an All-Star game, or having the Pirates in Pittsburgh in general, has never been adequately explained to me But I am convinced of one thing: LOSING the Pirates would strongly affirm what people around the county at least vaguely suspect -- Pittsburgh is a rust-belt city on the decline, no longer ranking as a big league town. It would unquestionably hurt our city's image. (There's currently no talk of the team leaving, but just give the Nuttings a few years and I'll bet they trot out that scare tactic again to exact one concession or another from us.)

C. Briem said...

Just for the record. I can’t find a legal way to put this online but my predecessor published a fairly comprehensive article on this. See: Rushen, Steven, "Economic Impact of the Pirates on the Pittsburgh Region," Public Administration Quarterly, Fall 1999, Vol. 23, Issue 3, p354-367. It pegs some actual dollar amounts to the impact which derives mostly from the spending that occurs from people outside the region coming into town to see a game. The rest is just displacement of $$ within the region. The ASG is unique in that the attendees and others were mostly from out of the region.

Probably right on the image… but then again, Rams and Raiders left LA and I don’t think anyone considered that a reflection of that region. Chatter also would have Marlins leaving FL at the rate they are going. But we ourselves would think it meant the sky was falling for sure if the Pirates were to leave. Honestly though, I am told that the actual lease the Pirates have with the SEA makes it virtually impossible to move the team.