A few years ago, the Buffalo Bills threatened to leave New York State unless a new stadium deal was secured. This kind of relocation bluff is common in the NFL, with only the Green Bay Packers standing out as a team with a municipally owned facility and a market too small to seriously consider relocation. Despite the ever-present threat of the Bills moving to a more lucrative market, Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul ultimately signed a deal providing $600 million in state funding for a new $2.1 billion stadium for the Bills, with Erie County contributing an additional $250 million. This was after team owner Terry Pegula threatened to move the franchise to Austin, Texas, where he would privately finance a stadium.
The Pinellas County Commission has approved a $312.5 million bond issue to finance its part of a new $1.3 billion stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. The 5-2 vote, which was delayed twice, allows the county to move forward with selling the bonds, contingent on the Rays meeting their obligations under the deal. The approval follows the St. Petersburg City Council’s earlier vote to approve its $287.5 million share of the project on December 6.
With a federal shutdown looming on Friday, congressional leaders are in a race against time to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running. Key sticking points include farm aid and disaster assistance, with bipartisan negotiations at a standstill.
In a surprising move, the judge overseeing the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan instructed the jury on Monday to disregard all testimony from Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island. Judge John Robert Blakey gave no explanation for the decision, despite Rita’s brief testimony on October 24.
President Joe Biden moved to establish the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, to "honor the historic contributions of America’s first woman Cabinet Secretary and the longest-serving Secretary of Labor," a White House fact sheet says.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony in his corruption trial was postponed on Monday under special circumstances, sparking speculation about critical developments regarding either a hostage deal with Hamas or a potential military strike on Iran.
