Pa. Gov. firm on no state money for new venues

LONG POND, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reaffirmed the authorities wouldn't supply backing for immoderate caller sports arenas -- a anticipation that looms with the Eagles' lease acceptable to expire successful 2032 -- and said determination were conversations astir bringing NASCAR to Philadelphia.

Shapiro, making an quality Sunday astatine Pocono Raceway, said helium would proceed talking with Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie and the Rooney household successful Pittsburgh astir what -- if thing -- the NFL teams request erstwhile it comes to the authorities of their stadiums.

Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium, the location of the Steelers, opened successful 2001 portion Lincoln Financial Field opened successful 2003 successful Philadelphia's shared sports complex.

The Eagles bash not ain the Linc. The squad volition request to renew its lease oregon physique a caller stadium, and Lurie said during the lead-up to the Super Bowl that helium was "torn" implicit the thought of replacing the stadium oregon staying enactment successful the location wherever they raised their lone 2 Super Bowl title banners.

If a caller stadium is proposed, it won't travel with authorities wealth -- conscionable arsenic Shapiro said helium would not supply erstwhile the NBA's 76ers considered gathering a caller arena past year. Sixers ownership did not inquire for funds, and they decided to spouse with Comcast Spectacor, their existent landlord, to physique a caller arena successful South Philadelphia.

"I'm precise disquieted astir the wide budget," Shapiro said Sunday up of the scheduled NASCAR Cup Series contention astatine the track. "I'm precise disquieted astir the wide economical concern fixed the national cuts. You privation to equilibrium investing successful tourism, investing successful sports, investing successful large arenas and facilities, with making definite that you're besides investing those dollars successful things that Pennsylvanians request most.

"I volition archer you that we privation to marque definite the Steelers, we privation to marque definite the Eagles, and each of our pro teams person outstanding places to play. That are welcoming for fans. That make revenue. We're going to proceed to dialog with them astir what they request and what's possible."

NASCAR expressed astatine slightest a cursory involvement successful adding to its caller drawstring of offbeat contention locations -- everyplace from Mexico City to a impermanent way wrong the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum -- and floated the thought of holding a contention wrong a Philadelphia stadium, Franklin Field. The tract is traditionally location to the Penn Relays and assemblage football.

"There's immoderate conversations," Shapiro said. "First and foremost, we don't privation to bash thing that undermines Pocono. ... The much NASCAR the better. The much racing, the better. The much we tin crook radical connected successful communities that haven't been to Pocono yet, to get excited astir racing, and past marque that travel to Pocono adjacent year, the better. I privation to spot much NASCAR, much racing. I besides conscionable privation to spot much sports successful general."

Among the events successful 2026, Pennsylvania volition big the shot All-Star Game astatine Citizens Bank Park, the World Cup astatine the Linc and the PGA Championship astatine Aronimink Golf Club. The large twelvemonth kicks disconnected with the NFL draught successful Pittsburgh adjacent April.

"I worked my ass disconnected to bring that to Pittsburgh, unneurotic with the Steelers," Shapiro said. "I'm excited for them."