News
Broncos ‘Private’ Stadium Plan: How Tax Breaks and Infrastructure Can Still Cost the Public Millions
Broncos ‘Private’ Stadium Plan: In September 2025, the Denver Broncos announced plans for a new privately financed stadium. However, scrutiny arises as public funds often subsidize these projects, obscuring true financing sources. This raises concerns about the long-term financial impact on taxpayers, who may shoulder broader costs beyond construction, including infrastructure and social ramifications.
Geoffrey Propheter, University of Colorado Denver
Broncos say their new stadium will be ‘privately financed,’ but ‘private’ often still means hundreds of millions in public resources
The Denver Broncos announced in early September 2025 their plan to build a privately financed football stadium. The proposal received a lot of attention and praise.
Across the five major sports leagues in the U.S. – the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB and MLS – only 20% of facilities are privately owned.
I’ve studied the intersection of state and local public finance and pro sports for two decades. This experience has led me to approach claims of private financing with suspicion.
Private dollars are often masked as public dollars in these arrangements. https://www.youtube.com/embed/zwv34Lpo0ec?wmode=transparent&start=0 A Fox31 Denver news report aired in November 2025 about the Broncos’ plans for a new stadium.
Private vs public dollars
In theory, what counts as private or public dollars is uncontroversial. Dollars are public when government has a legal claim over them – otherwise, they are private.
The public versus private dollar distinction matters when accounting for who is contributing how much to a sports facility. When public dollars are allowed to count as private dollars, a project proposal looks more enticing than it is, in fact.
For instance, lawmakers regularly allow team owners to count public dollars as private dollars. The Sacramento City Council agreed to let the NBA’s Sacramento Kings count their property tax payments for the city-owned arena as private contributions to the overall cost of financing the arena. But property taxes are public dollars that in other instances go toward public services like schools and road repairs.
Team owners building private facilities also typically receive public dollars through tax breaks, which is government spending in disguise. Property tax exemptions, sales and use tax exemptions on materials and machinery, and income tax credits are common forms of government givebacks to sports team owners.
I’ve estimated that property tax exemptions alone, among facilities in the five major leagues, have cost state and local governments US$20 billion cumulatively over the life of teams’ leases, 42% of which would have gone to K-12 education.
Rental payments spent on facilities are not private dollars
Many facilities and their infrastructure are funded through public debt secured in part by team rental payments. Lawmakers, media and consultants often view projects secured by rents as privately financed, in part or whole.
However, rental income in exchange for use or operation of public property should not be counted as private dollars.
Here’s a thought experiment. Suppose state lawmakers allocated the rent paid for use of campground sites in a state park to pay for new campground bathrooms. Are the bathrooms privately funded?
The flaw in concluding “yes” arises from a failure to appreciate that lawmakers, through policy, create legal claims over certain dollars. All dollars start as private dollars, but through the tax system, lawmakers transfer ownership of some dollars to the public.
It is the government landlord’s choice, a policy decision, to spend the rental income on the rented property, a choice available to them only if they own the rental income in the first place.
Yet lawmakers regularly allow teams, both professional and minor league, to count rental payments as private contributions. This accounting makes sports subsidies look less generous than they actually are.
Looking beyond construction
Facilities not only need to be constructed but also operated, maintained and eventually upgraded. Roads, sewer lines, overpasses, game-day security and emergency response and public policies to mitigate gentrification caused by a facility are all common taxpayer-funded touchpoints. In addition, facilities have preconstruction costs such as land acquisition, soil remediation and site preparation, as well as later costs such as demolition and remediation for the land’s next use.
Focusing on privately financed construction and ignoring all other aspects of a project’s development and operation is misleading, potentially contributing to lawmakers making inefficient and expensive policy decisions.
By way of example, the Council of the District of Columbia approved a subsidy agreement last year with the NFL’s Commanders. The stadium would be financed, constructed and operated by the team owner, who would pay $1 in rent per year and remit no property taxes. In exchange for financing the stadium privately, the owner receives exclusive development rights to 20 acres of land adjacent to the stadium for the next 90 years.
The stadium is expected to cost the owner $2.5 billion, with the city contributing $1.3 billion for infrastructure.
But the city also gives up market rental income between $6 billion and $25 billion,depending on future land appreciation rates, that it could make on the 20 acres.
In other words, the rent discount alone means the city gives up revenue equal to multiple stadiums in exchange for the Commanders providing one. It is as if the council has a Lamborghini, traded it straight up for a Honda Civic, and then praised themselves for their negotiation acumen that resulted in a “free” Civic.
The Broncos’ proposed stadium
As of January 2026, Denver taxpayers know only that the Broncos stadium construction will be privately financed and that public dollars will be spent on some infrastructure.
Being enamored with such a proposal is similar to being offered a $1 billion yacht at a 75% discount. In my experience, there are two types of public officials: one will want to spend $250 million to save $750 million, while the other will ask whether $250 million for a yacht is an appropriate use of taxpayer resources given existing needs elsewhere.
My hope is that lawmakers better appreciate the many ways government participation in sports facility development, including privately financed ones, imposes serious risks and costs for current and future taxpayers. What is the expected total cost of the stadium project over its life? How much of the life cost would public resources cover? Could public resources generate greater benefits in an alternative use? How much will it cost to mitigate or compensate those affected by a project’s expected negative side effects, such as gentrification, congestion, pollution and crime?
Read more of our stories about Colorado.
Geoffrey Propheter, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
(Feature Impact) A parent’s love knows no limits. Across the globe, mothers and fathers do everything in their power to protect their children and give them the chance to grow up safe and strong. This year, celebrate that love with meaningful gifts that gives back.
Through UNICEF Market and Inspired Gifts, you can honor a mother, father or caregiver while helping the United Nations Children’s Fund deliver lifesaving support to children across 190 countries and territories – from Lebanon to Gaza, Sudan and beyond. They represent tangible interventions that help deliver safe water, strengthen education systems, provide critical services and protect children from preventable diseases.
Lifesaving Nutrition
Invented 30 years ago, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a low-cost, innovative option to treat child wasting. Each year, UNICEF delivers nearly 1 billion sachets of RUTF, reaching more than 9 million children across every continent: from the Pacific to the Sahel and South Asia to Latin America. Nine out of 10 children treated with RUTF make a full recovery, often within weeks. Gifting 150 Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food Packets provides a child with a two month’s supply of RUTF.
“For three decades, RUTF has helped save millions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition around the world,” said UNICEF USA President and CEO, Michael J. Nyenhuis. “As we mark this milestone, we celebrate the lives saved and the progress made – and recommit to building a future where every child has access to the quality nutrition they need not only to survive, but to thrive.”
Maternal and Newborn Care
Support new moms with a gift that gives newborn babies a chance for a better start in life. These Newborn Kits packages contain blankets, prenatal supplements for 20 new moms and essential vaccines to protect babies against measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. In addition, the Mom and Baby Carebundle contains essential medications to assist with a smooth and safe delivery as well as newborn antibiotics aimed at helping reduce the risk of perinatal asphyxia, neonatal infections and prematurity.
Artisan Gifts
From a Peruvian-made Adjustable Leather Sling Bag designed for versatility that also provides 112 packets of lifesaving nourishment to children around the world suffering from malnutrition to a handcrafted Talavera-Style Vase from Mexico that provides 21 doses of measles vaccine, UNICEF Market artisan goods blend craftsmanship with purpose. Each purchase delivers lifesaving nutrition, vaccines and essential services for children around the world.
Partner Gifts
Children of the world are too often at risk, exposed to conflicts, diseases and natural disasters that threaten their safety and well-being. Since 2016, Louis Vuitton has helped protect these children through its partnership with UNICEF, creating a dedicated Silver LockIt Collection in support of the organization’s work, and more than $24 million has been donated through this initiative.
In collaboration with House Ambassador and UNICEF Korea Goodwill Ambassador Felix, a new design is engraved with the word “DREAM,” representing every child’s right to grow, live and learn in a nurturing environment with access to education, health care and protection. For each piece purchased, a donation will be made to help deliver lifesaving assistance and education to children in urgent need around the world. Learn more at us.louisvuitton.com.
This year, celebrate mothers, fathers and caregivers with more than a gift. Celebrate them with an act of generosity through UNICEF Market and Inspired Gifts that transform gratitude into action and love into lifesaving impact. To dedicate a personalized gift in their honor, visit market.unicefusa.org.
SOURCE:
UNICEF
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The Earth
Vancouver Aquarium and Aquarium du Québec Team Up to Expand Care for Rescued Sea Otters
Vancouver Aquarium will transfer rescued sea otters Hardy, Mak, Quatse and Taz to Aquarium du Québec in June, expanding Canada’s capacity for care.
A new partnership between two of Canada’s best-known aquariums is about to change what sea otter rescue and long-term care can look like nationwide.
On May 7, the Vancouver Aquarium announced it will transfer four rescued sea otters—Hardy, Mak, Quatse, and Taz—to the Aquarium du Québec in early June. The move supports the opening of Aquarium du Québec’s new sea otter habitat and creates much-needed capacity at the Vancouver Aquarium for future rescue cases.
Why this transfer matters
The Vancouver Aquarium works alongside the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) to rescue and rehabilitate hundreds of marine animals each year across the Pacific Northwest. The goal for every patient is release back into the ocean—but not every animal can return to the wild.
In this case, the aquarium says its sea otters were rescued as orphaned pups and later deemed non-releasable by Canadian and U.S. government agencies. Without the chance to develop key survival skills, many orphaned otters can’t safely hunt, avoid predators, or navigate the risks of coastal life on their own.
By expanding sea otter care to Eastern Canada, the collaboration increases the country’s overall ability to provide specialized, long-term support for rescued otters—especially those that cannot be released.
Creating space for the next rescue
The Vancouver Aquarium notes it is currently the only aquarium in Canada with a sea otter habitat, which means its capacity is limited even as rescue needs continue.
“Our aquarium’s otter habitat provides a safe and enriching home—but it also has limits,” said Mackenzie Neale, Animal Care Director at the Vancouver Aquarium. “This transfer creates much-needed space for when the next otter needs our help.”
That “next otter” is not hypothetical. VAMMR responds to more than 300 marine animal emergencies each year, including rescues of sick, injured, or orphaned animals and the disentanglement of sea lions trapped by marine debris.
A new educational opportunity in Québec
For the Aquarium du Québec, welcoming sea otters is both a conservation milestone and a major visitor experience upgrade—especially for families and students in Eastern Canada who may never have seen sea otters up close.
“The Aquarium du Quebec is thrilled to introduce sea otters to visitors in Eastern Canada,” said Nathalie Julien Boucher, director of Aquarium du Québec. She added that because the animals were rescued from the wild, the habitat will offer “a fantastic educational opportunity while continuing our conservation mission,” as part of the aquarium’s Louphoque project.
Catch them before they head east
The Vancouver Aquarium is inviting guests to visit Hardy, Mak, Quatse, and Taz before May 31. Throughout May, the four otters will be on public display during weekend (Saturday and Sunday) operating hours.
If you can’t make it to Stanley Park, the aquarium says viewers can still follow their journey on the Sea Otter Cam.
What to watch for
- Early June transfer: Four otters move from Vancouver to Québec City.
- Expanded national capacity: More space in Vancouver for future rescues; new habitat in Québec for long-term care.
- Conservation storytelling: Two aquariums amplifying public education about sea otters and coastal ecosystems.
About the rescue work behind the scenes
The Vancouver Aquarium opened in 1956 and has connected more than 50 million people to ocean life. It is accredited by major animal care and conservation organizations, and it’s also Humane Conservation Certified by American Humane.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) operates Canada’s only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility. It is an independent registered charity that works in partnership with the Vancouver Aquarium, and donations support rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts. Learn more at www.vammr.org.
Source: Vancouver Aquarium press release via CNW (May 7, 2026).
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News
New UFO files offer no answers – but something is happening in the skies
Newly released U.S. government UAP and UFO files reveal unexplained aerial phenomena, mysterious drone swarms, and military encounters that continue to puzzle experts and raise national security questions.
James Dwyer, University of Tasmania
New UFO files offer no answers – but something is happening in the skies
The US Government has released a new trove of documents on various cases of “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena” (UAPs) – many of which would have been described in the past as Unidentified Flying Objects or UFOs – including photos, videos and reports of unexplained events sighted in the sky and in space.
The files detail “unresolved cases” where “the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena”.
As a researcher of military strategy, national security, and weapons and technology capabilities, I find several examples of UAPs intriguing in what they reveal and the questions they raise.
Taking this new release together with other reports from the past few years, a picture of what might be behind UAPs – and the current state of our understanding – begins to emerge.
The easy ones
Not everything in the new release seems inexplicable. Some images, like those that appear to show unidentified lights recorded by astronauts from the surface of the Moon, are most likely just visual noise or other image artefacts.
Astronauts have also reported seeing bright lights with the naked eye. These may be flashes from high-energy cosmic rays, which are more prevalent outside Earth’s protective magnetic field.
Likewise, video recordings showing bright lights zipping may be explained by insects flying by the camera at close proximity – they would be out of focus, and appear to move at high speeds.
Something is happening
Other cases are more difficult to immediately dismiss. Some recent examples demonstrate that something is occurring, even if we do not know what.
In 2020, the US Navy declassified three videos recorded by F/A-18 Super Hornets, showing mysterious “Tic Tac” objects flying in ways that defy current understanding of technology, without any obvious propulsion. The US Navy stated it did not know what the objects were.
Advanced sensors on fighter aircraft detected and tracked these phenomena, which suggests they were some kind of real objects rather than due to equipment errors or erroneous noise.
One of the most intriguing recordings was shared in a US congressional hearing in 2025. It appeared to be recorded by an MQ-9 Reaper drone, which was tracking a UAP.
The drone fired a Hellfire missile at the object and appeared to have successfully hit it. The object seemed to be deflected from its direction of travel momentarily, suggesting it was a real physical thing, but it appeared to suffer no damage and continued on its course.
Drone swarms and mystery objects
Over the past decade, there have also been multiple reports of unidentified groups of UAPs around US and European military bases.
In several cases, US Navy Destroyers apparently met mysterious “drone swarms”. While these may have been conventional drones, there were no apparent launch vessels nearby which could have allowed these relatively small drones (with presumably short range) to be where they were.
We also know that in 2023, the US used an F-22 fighter to shoot down a Chinese high-altitude spy balloon over the continental US. Another similar incident occurred over Hawaii the same year, although the US reportedly did not consider this one to be from China.
Also in 2023, the US engaged several other objects over North America, but both the US and Canadian governments have refused to provide any information on what they were.
So what exactly are these objects?
There is no easy explanation for these incidents.
Some leap to the idea that non-human intelligences are at work. However, there is no evidence for this. It may be fun to think of aliens or interdimensional beings, but this is not really a satisfying answer to the UAP question.
Perhaps the “best” explanation we have is drones, or other known technologies. This still seems partial, as some phenomena seem to exceed current technological capabilities, and it leaves open the question of who is behind the phenomena.
New technologies could be responsible. Perhaps operated by “friendly” forces – within the US military or allied defence manufacturers – testing their products against unknowing military operators to see how they respond. Similarly, the incidents may be tests carried out by adversaries such as China.
But still, some incidents are hard to explain given what we know about physics. The object in the “Tic Tac” videos don’t seem to behave how any kind of aircraft should, showing no signs of propulsion.
Alternatively, some UAPs could be as simple as malfunctions in sensor systems. However, this too seems partial – there are multiple cases of warplanes and warships detecting these objects with multiple sensors operating on different frequencies, both actively and passively.
Not aliens, but what?
The most recent release from the US does little to answer the questions about what UAPs are. This lack of answers is perhaps the most intriguing part.
Given the wide range of cases, there is likely no single explanation for all of them. Some seem likely to be drones and others likely image artefacts, but there is a real group of genuinely hard-to-identify phenomena.
Of the available explanations, non-human intelligence is perhaps the most entertaining – but also by far the least probable. It is far more likely that the cause of these incidents will eventually be identified much closer to home.
What does seem clear is that governments are watching closely, and with significant concern.
James Dwyer, Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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