Bill Summary
The "No Tax Subsidies for Stadiums Act of 2025" aims to amend the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit tax-exempt status for bonds used to finance professional sports stadiums. Specifically, it adds a provision to Section 103(b) of the Code that categorically defines any bond issued for the construction or renovation of a facility used for professional sports as a "professional stadium bond," thereby disqualifying such bonds from receiving tax-exempt treatment. This change is intended to ensure that taxpayers do not subsidize the financing of professional sports venues through tax exemptions. The new regulations will apply to bonds issued after the enactment of this Act.
Possible Impacts
The "No Tax Subsidies for Stadiums Act of 2025" could affect people in various ways. Here are three examples:
1. **Reduced Public Funding for Stadiums**: The legislation removes the tax-exempt status for bonds used to finance professional stadiums. This could lead to higher borrowing costs for cities and teams looking to build or renovate stadiums, potentially resulting in less public funding for such projects. Consequently, communities may not see new stadiums or upgrades to existing facilities, affecting local economies that benefit from sports-related events and tourism.
2. **Impact on Local Economies and Jobs**: Without the ability to issue tax-exempt bonds, professional sports teams may find it more challenging to secure funding for stadium projects. This could slow down construction jobs and the economic activity that comes with building new facilities. Furthermore, if local governments are less inclined to invest in sports infrastructure, it may limit job opportunities in sectors related to construction, hospitality, and event management, which thrive on professional sports events.
3. **Increased Ticket Prices**: If teams face higher financing costs due to the loss of tax-exempt bonds, they might pass those costs onto consumers in the form of increased ticket prices and higher concession costs. This could make attending games less affordable for fans, potentially reducing attendance rates and impacting the overall fan experience. Additionally, this could disincentivize families and lower-income individuals from participating in professional sports events, thus altering the demographic landscape of stadium audiences.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2434 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2434
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that bonds used to
finance professional stadiums are not treated as tax-exempt bonds.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 27, 2025
Mr. Grothman (for himself and Mr. Beyer) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that bonds used to
finance professional stadiums are not treated as tax-exempt bonds.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Tax Subsidies for Stadiums Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. NO TAX-EXEMPT BONDS FOR PROFESSIONAL STADIUMS.
(a) In General.--Section 103(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) Professional stadium bond.--Any professional stadium
bond.''.
(b) Professional Stadium Bond Defined.--Section 103(c) of such Code
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Professional stadium bond.--The term `professional
stadium bond' means any bond issued as part of an issue any
proceeds of which are used to finance or refinance capital
expenditures allocable to a facility (or appurtenant real
property) which, during at least 5 days during any calendar
year, is used as a stadium or arena for professional sports
exhibitions, games, or training.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to bonds issued after the date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>