ATLANTA -- When Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed found out a neighbouring community had made a generous offer to help finance a new Braves stadium, he balked and said the city simply couldnt compete. Reeds decision comes a few months after the mayor faced tough criticism for pushing through a plan to use public money to support a new NFL stadium downtown. And it underscores the challenges facing cash-strapped communities nationwide as they weigh the risks and rewards of using public money to help finance major sports venues. "The bottom line is that the city was presented with a choice, and that choice was encumbering between $150 million to $250 million in debt and not having money to do anything else," Reed said, referring to the citys share of costs for desired improvements at Turner Field. Instead, the mayor announced Tuesday that Turner Field would be demolished when the Braves leave in 2017, making way for a new large-scale development. Reed has said the city couldnt match Cobb Countys offer of $450 million in public support to the Braves, though the team disputes that figure. When faced with the question of how much to contribute to stadium construction or refurbishment, local leaders have to weigh the state of their communitys finances. In Atlantas case, Reed said the city has a $900 million backlog in infrastructure projects. There have been instances of communities not putting up public money, but those are the exception, said Judith Grant Long, an associate professor of urban planning at Harvard University. Most notable is the current home of the San Francisco Giants, which was the first privately financed major league stadium in decades. On the other end of the spectrum, Long pointed to the $975 million Minnesota Vikings stadium project. There, the public contribution has been estimated at $498 million. "The impact of the recent recession on state and local tax revenues, and consequently fiscal management, should influence thinking about all new capital projects and the role of public debt," Long said. The new 42,000-seat Braves stadium would be located about 10 miles north of downtown and cost $672 million to build. Reed has said he was informed of the $450 million in public financing during a meeting with the team, but the Braves said the costs havent been finalized and "reports of this figure are erroneous." Cobb County appears to have at least three financing options that would not involve raising taxes on residents, including a hotel/motel tax that brought in $10 million in revenue last year, a community improvement district that pools money from area businesses for infrastructure projects and a budget surplus. The proposal does include options for commercial development, including restaurants, retail, hotel and entertainment facilities that would surround the stadium and also would boost revenues. Details on the public funding are expected to be released in the next few weeks. In defending his decision, Reed argued the Braves situation was much different than the citys plan to contribute at least $200 million in public funding to support a new $1.2 billion, retractable-roof stadium for the Atlanta Falcons. Reed said the Falcons deal will use the citys hotel/motel tax for improvements to state-owned property where the NFL stadium will be built. There was no such funding mechanism for the Braves, so any contributions would have forced the city to take on significant debt, Reed said. "It doesnt mean I dont want the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta," Reed said. "Were not going to put the city on its back financially." Reed touted the publics relatively small share of costs for the NFL stadium. Long said that was lower than the average of about 70 per cent in public money for stadium projects. William Perry, executive director of the government watchdog group Common Cause Georgia, was a vocal critic of the mayor for not seeking more public input on the Falcons stadium deal. He said this week that the mayor appeared to be applying inconsistent logic by fighting for the Falcons but letting the Braves leave. Braves executives said the decision to leave Turner Field was based on several factors, including $150 million needed to replace seats and pay for other upgrades as well as another $200 million to improve the fan experience. The team cited a lack of mass transit options in the area, too few parking spaces and limited freeway access. "Our new location will give us the opportunity to develop the surrounding area of the new ballpark, transforming it into a mixed use, 365-day destination and creating an enhanced atmosphere for our fans during Braves games," the team said in a statement. Studies have shown stadium projects create only modest increases in overall tax revenue and job creation, Long said, although more teams are taking a role in developing lodging, entertainment and retail around the venues. "In part, this is evidence of a trend where teams are more interested in development around the stadium as part of their evolving business model," Long said, adding that it can also help with gaining approval. "However, these urban development benefits ... are slow to materialize." For Cobb County, the benefits of the project are clearly worth any risk. "This makes Cobbs marketability so much stronger, and it helps us become more than a suburban community," said Brooks Mathis, an executive with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce who helped negotiate the deal. "We are going to see huge benefits for many, many years to come especially having such a wonderful organization like the Braves be a part of our community." Fake Nike Shoes . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Wholesale Nike Shoes From China . -- Blake Griffin scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 22 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 98-96 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. https://www.nikeshoeschina.us/. In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Nike Shoes China . “The fact that he was willing to do the deal the way we wanted it to be done showed that he wanted me to be a part of something great," Lowry said, noting that Ujiri willingness to sign off on the proposal that both Lowry and his agent presented to the GM was the final straw that convinced him to return. Nike Shoes From China Online .ca. Hi Kerry, Welcome back! Im sure you heard Peter Forsbergs comments last week regarding Canadian referees in the gold medal game. Seems to me that he was questioning the integrity and impartiality.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kole Calhoun is embracing his role leading off for the Los Angeles Angels. And hes doing it well. Calhoun opened the game with a single and added a double before his tiebreaking, three-run homer that put the Angels ahead to stay in a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night, when Garrett Richards worked into the eighth inning for his 13th win. "I want to be a catalyst for the offence, get on base, score some runs," Calhoun said by phone after initially making a quick exit from the clubhouse after the game. "I want so bad to get on base. ... Im having fun right there." Calhoun, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, was also hit by a pitch. He had multiple hits for the fifth time in his last six games. "He kind of flies under the radar, but I dont know if there are too many leadoff men as dynamic as Kole has been," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Richards (13-4), who struck out seven without a walk in 7 1-3 innings, has won all four of his starts this season against Texas. The right-hander allowed two runs while scattering seven hits. "Hes been the same every time," said Adrian Beltre, who got three of his four hits off Richards. Angels catcher Chris Iannetta said Richards is "coming into his own." "Were just seeing him mature," Iannetta said. "Hes got great stuff, and hes starting to command it more." The Angels led for good after Calhouns 412-foot shot off Nick Martinez (2-9) into the second deck of seats in right field made it 4-1 in the fifth. Another run scored when Calhoun grounded into a double play in the seventh. Huston Street worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in as many chances since the Angels acquired him. He has 11 scoreless innings in 11 games since the July 18 trade from San Diego, where he had 24 saves. Martinez struck out six while allowing four runs and six hits in six innings. "Just one unexecuted pitch, the one to Calhoun. He wanted to go down and away, and ended up pulling it across the middle of the plate," Texas manager Ron Washington said.dddddddddddd "Other than that, I thought he did a swell job." STRIKE THREE -- TIMES FOUR Josh Hamilton was 1 for 5 with four strikeouts, the hit an opposite-field bloop single off a pitcher making his major league debut. Hamilton is 5 for 38 (.132) over his last 10 games, and without an RBI in his last nine. "Were not seeing the aggressive Josh Hamilton that we saw when he played for Texas. Were not seeing that," Scioscia said. "Theres a lot of things that hes trying. Josh is working very hard, and nobody feels worse than Josh. We need him in the middle of our lineup doing what he can do." PRODUCTIVE BOTTOM David Freese and Iannetta, the bottom two batters in the Angels lineup, were a combined 5 for 7 with four runs. Calhouns 13th homer came after Freese and Iannetta started the fifth with consecutive singles. Freese has an 11-game hitting streak. ONE BAD NIGHT Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen has been spectacular lately, allowing only two earned runs over 39 innings in his previous 44 games. But the right-hander gave up two runs while getting only one out after relieving Richards in the eighth. Jepsen leads the majors with 54 scoreless appearances. TRAINERS ROOM Angels: Rookie RHP Mike Morin is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, the first day the reliever is eligible to come back after missing 13 games with a cut on his left foot. Morin threw a scoreless inning for Class A Inland Empire on Thursday night before joining the team in Texas. He is 3-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 41 games. Rangers: Alex Rios was back in RF for the first time since Sunday, when he re-aggravated a right ankle sprain on a slide. After being the DH the previous two games, he did some early work in the field before starting in the outfield. UP NEXT Los Angeles goes for its ninth consecutive win against the Rangers, which would match its longest streak in the series, a mark set from 1985-86. Matt Shoemaker tries to become the Angels third 11-game winner in the middle game of the weekend set. Colby Lewis (8-9) starts for Texas. ' ' '