How about a new mayor and council trying to find creative ways to increase revenue... perhaps a 80% municipal marginal income tax on earnings over $600,000? Probably not allowed under AZ law but it would be entertaining to see such an idea floated. The AMT was originally devised for a similar purpose in the 60s.
... or perhaps instituting a "Visiting Players Tax"?. Currently about 13-14 states & municipalities employ such a system, which also includes concert & event promoters, golf, tennis, motorsports etc. According to a study by KPMG that was drafted several years ago in Ontario when their was much angst over the weak Canadian Dollar, Ottawa & others looking for relief from local, provincial & federal authorities, the SkyDome debacle etc, it was estimated that each team could receive close to $15M a year with a "visiting player taxation" scheme. There are however cross border (US/Cdn exemptions of various sorts that negate collection) issues, costs in setting up such a system, obviously serious resistance from the leagues & players associations etc.
However, if these guys, including concert & event promoters are the direct beneficiaries of a municipal authorities largesse' in providing them with the platform & stage in which to reap reward, then they shouldnt be complaining about the taxman demanding a small recompense for doing so.The Phoenix Suns, DB's, Cards & Coyote players pay about 4.54% to municipal & state authorities, amongst the lowest in the US, North Carolina & Milwaukee nearly double at 7.75% (Leafs/Raptors = 11.16%). Even more interesting when you consider "Winning Percentages", the cap systems, free agency, short careers, only so much time to cash-in. Take the NBA for example; in 2010-11, the 10 teams with the lowest tax burdens had a 57.8% winning percentage, while the 10 teams with the highest tax burdens had a 39.9% winning percentage. Player agents pay close attention to "stuff" like that, as do concert & event promoters if their playing in the bigs'. You want to keep as much as possible. If implimented, pretty sure youd see the likes of old tax attorney & legendary extortionist Jerry Reinsdorf headiin on down to the Grapefruit League trailing a cloud of angry dust but so what? Whatve' you done for Arizona Jerry?.
There are ways & means to securing funds from the players/leagues that Glendales not even considering, I suppose in fear of driving them out altogether after building them all state of the art facilities, however, thats one card Id be playing & very publicly indeed, placing the onus of responsibility back where it belongs. Additionally, if Jamisons seriously "for real" here, then he'd best be buying up Westgate & deploying the CFD (which will require Bidwell/Cards & UofP Stadium & COG considerations), charging for parking, marketing the Hell out of the building, wallpapering the joint with sponsorship signage & the like ala Michael Yormark down in Sunrise. There are absolutely ways & means to creatively solve this problem beyond a black & white case of flat out over-payments on an AMF over 20yrs, extorted from a beaten up & badly wounded municipality with the constant threat of relocation looming over their heads. With the precedent already set, the gun locked & loaded, no way does the franchise owner then train its sites off of its' victim, not ever, more never enough. Pretty messed up.