The Preakness Stakes, one of the three Triple Crown Horse Races, wants to relocate from the decaying Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore is trying to get them to stay. Can the city seize the intellectual property of the horse race using eminent domain? Professor Ilya Somin of Antonin Scalia Law School explains how a city can try to use eminent domain to try to keep a sports franchise from leaving.

As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.

Learn more about Ilya Somin:
https://sls.gmu.edu/ilya-somin/

Follow Ilya Somin on Twitter: @IlyaSomin

 

Related Links:

Baltimore Tries to Use Eminent Domain to Condemn the Preakness Stakes Horse Race
https://reason.com/2019/03/26/baltimore-tries-to-use-eminent-domain-to/

Update on the Preakness Takings Case
https://reason.com/2019/07/11/update-on-the-preakness-takings-case/

Baltimore mayor sues Stronach Group to seize Pimlico, block move of Preakness to Laurel
https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-city-pimlico-lawsuit-20190319-story.html

Differing Views:

The Constitutionality of Taking a Sports Franchise by Eminent Domain and the Need for Federal Legislation to Redistrict Franchise Relocation
https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&context=ulj

The Radical Case for Cities Buying Sports Teams, Not Sports Stadiums
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vvakva/the-radical-case-for-cities-buying-sports-teams-not-sports-stadiums

Foul Ball: Ten Cities that Used Eminent Domain for Sports Stadiums
https://ij.org/action-post/foul-ball-ten-cities-that-used-eminent-domain-for-sports-stadiums/