ABSTRACT
That loss of financial strength has made it increasingly difficult for numerous cities to provide the public services (e.g., safety, education, infrastructure) residents need. Declining service levels make cities less attractive as a place to live. A greater understanding of the economic and social changes that have created the fiscal challenge confronting cities is necessary to chart corrective policies. Needed policies must shift or realign the demand for residential, commercial, and retail space from a focus on suburban locations to one that makes central cities desirable places to live
and work. Can central cities offer individuals, families, and corporations attractive places for their homes and businesses? How does a central city shift the demand for homes and business locations? The answers lie in an understanding of the forces that have tilted the demand for locations to suburban areas. A central thesis of this book is that big-ticket assets dominated by sports facilities can change the demand for residential and commercial space toward downtown areas. To sustain this policy orientation-and before examining the success and lessons learned by the investments made by numerous cities using sports to anchor revitalization efforts-a more detailed description of the forces that initially shifted demand toward suburban areas is needed.
