Texas taxpayers paid $16.5 million for Big Screen TVs in Houston, Dallas sports arenas

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's no question All-Star weekend will bring in millions of tax dollars. But huge chunks of that money will never end up in your schools, parks or hospitals. In fact, it's going back to the people who put on the party, and that's not sitting well with a couple of lawmakers.

This weekend, the eyes of the basketball world turn to Houston. Thousands of fans, with cash in hand, are arriving in the Bayou City, hoping to catch a glimpse of basketball royalty. And the team behind this basketball bash says it will bring in millions to the local economy.

So what is it we found about this All-Star extravaganza that's made a lawmaker say this:

"I love sports, but sports owners and the leagues are some of the greediest people you will find. And they will take and take and take and take," Houston State Sen. Dan Patrick said.

More at http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/in_focus&id=8993572 .

[font color=green]The two legislators mentioned in the story are state senators Dan Patrick (R) and Kirk Watson (D).[/font]