The impact of the Tax Reform Act of 1986
Discuss the impact of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and whether you believe the law was a financial benefit or deficit to the development of sport facilities. Justify your response.
Sample Answer
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA86) had a significant impact on the development of sports facilities in the United States. Prior to TRA86, state and local governments were able to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance the construction of sports stadiums and arenas. This made it relatively inexpensive for teams to build new facilities, and many teams took advantage of this subsidy.
TRA86 eliminated the tax exemption for bonds used to finance sports facilities. This made it much more expensive for teams to build new facilities, and the number of new stadiums and arenas built in the years following TRA86 declined sharply.