The Pirates and the owner of PNC Park have been at odds for two years over improvement needsGETTY IMAGES
The Pirates "want a cut of any revenue generated by sports betting in Pennsylvania to help pay for improvements to PNC Park," according to a front-page piece by Mark Belko of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. In a letter to the state gaming control board, Pirates President Frank Coonelly wrote, "Any revenue generated through sports wagering is largely dependent on organizations like the Pirates who actually supply the sports wagering product." The Pirates and the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority, which owns PNC Park, have been "squabbling for two years over who was responsible for various improvements." In his letter, Coonelly noted that while the PACSEA is "responsible for capital repairs and improvements at the ballpark, the Pirates are on the hook for maintenance and operational expenses." Coonelly: "The capital needs at PNC Park are significant and unfortunately are much higher than the current funds allocated to them by our landlord." Coonelly stated that the PACSEA "has not met its obligations under its lease with the team and has stated that a PNC Park capital reserve fund is not sufficient." PACSEA BOD Chair Wayne Fontana said that he is "open to discussing using some of the revenue that local government will get from sports betting for capital improvements, but it can't be limited to PNC Park" and would have to "include Heinz Field, PPG Paints Arena and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center." Fontana: "They want us to find new sources. But when they get a new source, they don't want to share the wealth. That has to change." Pennsylvania State Sen. Jay Costa said that all of the revenue generated from sports betting has been "earmarked for the state general fund and local governments" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/26).
