HEINZ FIELD, PNC PARK Use of stadiums to help tax funds

The deal was in exchange for the millions taxpayers put into the stadiums.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the state each get three days of rent-free use of Heinz Field and PNC Park, but they haven't used their days so far, meaning they're passing up an opportunity to make money.
Gov. Ed Rendell said he was unaware of the free days and now intends to look into the opportunity.
"I'd be happy to use it. I'd also be happy to accept applications from groups who want to use our time," Rendell said, adding that he'll consider letting nonprofit organizations use the state's days.
The governments may use the days for civic, cultural or community events with profits going to them and their nonprofit partners.
The free use was in exchange for the millions of dollars taxpayers invested in the stadiums, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported for Sunday's papers.
But spokesmen for Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy and Dan Onorato, Allegheny County chief executive, said they couldn't recall anyone asking to use the governments' days. Representatives of several Pittsburgh-area nonprofits also said they were unaware of the possibility.
The city-county Sports & amp; Exhibition Authority owns the stadiums and leases them to the Pirates, the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers.
Some income
Doug Straley, the SEA's development manager, said the Pirates and Steelers sponsor events unrelated to sports that put money in government coffers, and the teams also open the buildings to nonprofits.
The SEA imposes a surcharge on such events, including a concert that opened Heinz Field in 2001 and generated about $115,000 for the city. Last summer's Bruce Springsteen concert at PNC Park, sponsored by the Pirates, generated about $142,000.
The same arrangement exists in Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit and Seattle at taxpayer-funded stadiums. New Jersey made a $300,000 profit on each of the 10 Springsteen concerts it sponsored at Giants Stadium last year.
By not using the days, governments betray their constituents, said George Zoffinger, chief executive of the state-run New Jersey Sports & amp; Exposition Authority, which manages Giants Stadium.
Last year, the authority generated $9 million for taxpayers from concerts and soccer matches.
"The reason politicians build these stadiums is that they want to be friends with the jocks, but once they are built, no one cares much about the public anymore," Zoffinger said.
"It's much easier to just go along with the team, stay out of 'their' stadium and let the taxpayers pay."