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

LONG POND, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reaffirmed the state wouldn't provide funding for any new sports arenas -- a possibility that looms with the Eagles' lease set to expire in 2032 -- and said there were conversations about bringing NASCAR to Philadelphia.

Shapiro, making an appearance Sunday at Pocono Raceway, said he would continue talking with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and the Rooney family in Pittsburgh about what -- if anything -- the NFL teams need when it comes to the state of their stadiums.

Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium, the home of the Steelers, opened in 2001 while Lincoln Financial Field opened in 2003 in Philadelphia's shared sports complex.

The Eagles do not own the Linc. The team will need to renew its lease or build a new stadium, and Lurie said during the lead-up to the Super Bowl that he was "torn" over the idea of replacing the stadium or staying put in the home where they raised their only two Super Bowl championship banners.

If a new stadium is proposed, it won't come with state money -- just as Shapiro said he would not provide when the NBA's 76ers considered building a new arena last year. Sixers ownership did not ask for funds, and they decided to partner with Comcast Spectacor, their current landlord, to build a new arena in South Philadelphia.

"I'm very worried about the overall budget," Shapiro said Sunday ahead of the scheduled NASCAR Cup Series race at the track. "I'm very worried about the overall economic situation given the federal cuts. You want to balance investing in tourism, investing in sports, investing in great arenas and facilities, with making sure that you're also investing those dollars in things that Pennsylvanians need most.

"I will tell you that we want to make sure the Steelers, we want to make sure the Eagles, and all of our pro teams have outstanding places to play. That are welcoming for fans. That generate revenue. We're going to continue to dialog with them about what they need and what's possible."

NASCAR expressed at least a cursory interest in adding to its recent string of offbeat race locations -- everywhere from Mexico City to a temporary track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum -- and floated the idea of holding a race inside a Philadelphia stadium, Franklin Field. The site is traditionally home to the Penn Relays and college football.