In 1997, 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania voted against new stadiums for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates being built via public funding.

They were built anyway. Using public funding.

The idea of a new stadium for the Steelers will be mooted sooner than you think.

Three Rivers Stadium operated from 1970-2000. Acrisure Stadium opened in 2001. Do the math.

The 11 counties involved again will bellyache about said notion and, given chance, will again vote it down. Tax dollars should instead be spent on libraries, potholes, road work, senior citizens, etc., blah, blah, blah.

Then, after the vote, a new stadium will be built for the Steelers. Using public funding.

PNC Park also began operations in 2001. Maybe the Pirates get a new stadium, too.

Art Rooney II, the Steelers’ primary owner, is reportedly worth $1.2 billion. That’s not overwhelming by NFL owner standards. The Steelers’ franchise is said to be worth about $4 billion. That’s middle of the NFL pack.

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But none of that matters. Big-time sports teams get taxpayers to build them places to play.

Since 2000, more than $4.3 billion of public funding has been spent to build stadiums and arenas in the United States. That’s despite little evidence to support the oft-said concept of resulting economic growth for the host city and surrounding area.

Why does it keep happening?

Because that’s how it works. It’s ingrained.

If the Steelers want a new stadium, they’ll get it.

If the Steelers want eight new stadiums so they can play each of their home games during a given season in a different one, they’ll get them. (Nine depending on whether they get the extra home game that year.)

If Rooney wants a solid gold toilet in the washroom of the stadium’s executive suite, he’ll get it.

So, when the time comes, shut up. No point railing against the inevitable.

More than anything, the Steelers give Pittsburgh its identity. More than fixing all the potholes would, even.

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