Eyeing construction of a new sports arena built partially with public funds in 2016, the Milkwaukee Bucks entered into a legally binding contract with the community: By 2023, the minimum wage for janitors, ushers, food service workers and others would be $15 an hour, which would continue to increase annually at a rate tied to inflation.
Additionally, a significant percentage of hires would come from ZIP codes with high unemployment or underemployment, a term that describes people working involuntarily part-time or earn a wage below the cost of living.
In 2018, when Major League Soccer expanded to Nashville, community groups insisted a new soccer stadium and the associated development come with a series of expectations. Stand Up Nashville negotiated a community benefits agreement with Nashville Soccer Holdings — Tennessee’s first — that mandated 20% of all housing units to be reserved as affordable or workforce housing. It also required the company to pay stadium workers at least $15.50 an hour and to set aside square footage for child care, local artisans and small businesses.
Now, as Chattanooga and Hamilton County officials hammer out a final deal to cover the cost increase for a new multiuse baseball stadium for the minor league Lookouts, an official with the team said he’s hopeful the approximately 18-month negotiations on an associated community benefits agreement are nearing a resolution.