Joey Wolferetti

Ma, what channel is the State game on? #GoPack #NeverGiveUp #Wolfpack. .

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

Passan is the top of the food chain and one of the most connected guys in baseball. This is a GOOD look for Raleigh.

[MLB2NC @MLBRaleigh]

ESPN’s Jeff Passan says Raleigh is “A dark horse that could have some real heft to it.”

@JeffPassan, the lead MLB analyst for @espn, slotted Raleigh as one of the Top-5 markets for MLB expansion and noted its many advantages.

Check it out ⬇️ https://t.co/4BgehDJgPy

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

Eh. I mean, yeah, but you're going too easy on them. This was a disaster.

[PackPride.com @PackPride]

Genuinely was hoping this week's podcast was going to be breaking down all the highlights and hyping up the standouts vs. Virginia.

Instead, we're discussing what went wrong.

Full Discussion: https://t.co/tCjnJtbk1F

Here's a snippet👇

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

Politics is sickening.

This baseball push was all about community and bringing people together.

In the end, it was ego, bickering, and division behind closed doors. Gross.

[MLB2NC @MLBRaleigh]

𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘: 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭

Despite public support from @NC_Governor and a furious fight by @SenatorBerger and the NC Senate, sources are telling us that House Speaker @DestinHall wouldn't budge on baseball in the budget.

But it's NOT OVER just yet.

The stadium funding plan proposed by the Senate was the best chance in HISTORY for the state to become an inevitable choice to land an MLB expansion or relocation team.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐓, 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 '𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭' 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐭.

The rest of the framework was built so that personal taxes were untouched and everything was funded from gambling taxes, player salary taxes, tourism taxes, and a new tax on the eventual stadium district that would capture revenue and use it to fund itself.

The allocation of funds would be FULLY contingent on landing an MLB team. If our market were not granted a team, the money would go back into the fund.

The setup was perfect and would have vaulted Raleigh into FRONT RUNNER status for MLB expansion. It would have also opened the door for the relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays, whose stadium deal is close to falling apart.

💵Landing a team would have kicked off a $3 Billion private investment into North Carolina from the team's ownership group (expansion fee + team).

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅.

🗳️However, after budgets are agreed upon, there are days' worth of voting that go on by 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒.

Amendments are added, and small changes are made.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐞'𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧.

You've FLOODED us with questions of "How can I help bring baseball to NC?"

Well, here's your chance...

The local representatives in your district were VOTED THERE BY YOU. They represent your wants and needs as a taxpayer, and would probably LOVE your opinion on this topic 😉.

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐓.

It only takes 2 minutes...here's how to do it👇

1⃣ 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 https://t.co/nQQuSIq9Gu

2⃣ 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐳𝐢𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞.

3⃣ 𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

(𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡, 𝑤𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 --> 𝑁𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡)

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what this movement was built for.

You all have been unapologetic advocates for bringing MLB to Raleigh for 8 years now.

Let's see how loud you can get.

NC's chances to land MLB might just depend on it.

#MLB2NC #RaleighOnDeck

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@ForwardCarolina @murphsturph In a roundabout way, taking this stance is weakening our chance at both baseball and teacher pay.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@ForwardCarolina @murphsturph Take a look at who is backing the baseball project publicly.

Do you wonder why Governor Stein who is all in on teacher pay would be going public about bringing MLB to Raleigh?

Baseball is going to be the negotiation chip used to get that teacher pay bump.

Watch.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@kellymccullen @MLBRaleigh @RaleighReporter @wunc @TheresaK_NC The guy who created the model that the NC Department of Commerce uses to evaluate business recruitment packages and creates the State Economic Outlook Forecasts for state leaders did an independent study on this.

That study said MLB would be a winner.

https://t.co/WfcYW4ismm

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@kellymccullen @MLBRaleigh @RaleighReporter @wunc @TheresaK_NC Before people get all twisted up in the words here...

- Occupancy tax in NC is earmarked for tourism promotion and tourism-related expenditures.

- The Economic Reserve Fund is already in the budget and earmarked for Keystone economic projects.

MLB should qualify for both.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MLBRaleigh @NC_Governor @JoshStein_ @ncspeakerhall @SenatorBerger @JanetCowell @RaleighGov @VisitNC @mitchell_silver @1stormie1 @visitRaleigh Stay on'em boys! MLB MAKES SENSE.

These heads out here touting low-context old-guard talking points, trying to create an opposition to MLB so they can spend money on their pet projects.

No one is upping taxes. The money they'd use is in the Economic Dev Reserve already.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@donaldbryson @CarolinaJournal Lack of consistency from a person who represents an ideology that is supposed to be rooted in logic.

You writing a piece to convince people that public funding shouldn’t be used for sports, by praising a team who only got here thanks to public funding shows a flawed argument.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@donaldbryson @CarolinaJournal Not to mention ignoring the economist the state has used on almost every major economic development over the past 20 years and cherry picking an old study from some guy from Atlanta who has built an entire career on the idea that sports stadiums don’t bring ROI. Sad.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@donaldbryson @CarolinaJournal Paid hit piece or just lazy reporting?

This article celebrates the Hurricanes success and then criticizes MLB funding without giving the reader the context that you WOULDN’T HAVE THE HURRICANES without a publicly funded ESA (now Lenovo Center) .

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@DCornelius70 @MLBRaleigh Wouldn’t Doso be a confined district as well. It’s not walkable to downtown proper.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MargoinWNC Like it or not NC is gonna grow, so if you can bring me projects that increase the ability to generate tax dollars from people outside NC , I’m for that. Less burden on us here in-state.

Not many projects are capable of that long term, so in this occasion I think it’s warranted.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MargoinWNC Im usually in agreement with you but could you be misreading this one?.

It’s bipartisan here in NC and if they can do this without raising property tax (like ATL) that’s a big win.

Hotel tax, tourism fund + a tax inside the district so it’s only funded by those who use it.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@DCornelius70 @MLBRaleigh Buddy, doso does a new soccer stadium mockup every 2 months. I'd assume that's the plan there.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@Hixmixer @MLBRaleigh @MLB

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MLBRaleigh @RaleighGov @WakeGOV @NC_Governor @JanetCowell @SenatorBerger @ncspeakerhall If there’s numbers are accurate then there is a TON of money on the table in Raleigh.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@BrianBalfourNC lol the billionaire is dropping $3M himself for the team and MLB is demanding a public/private partnership if you want a franchise.

You want to create tax revenue by tapping tourists so your citizens don’t shoulder the load. This is how you do it.

Quit playing politics.

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MLBRaleigh @ncspeakerhall @SenatorBerger @RaleighGov @WakeGOV Good lord, the momentum is palpable!!! #RaleighOnDeck

[Joey Wolferetti @wolferetti]

@MLBRaleigh This is literally NCs final shot to get baseball. DO NOT F THIS UP OVER POLITICS!!!

Get it done.