Sponsor
Hillary Scholten
Representative · D-MI
Representative · D-MI
The bill expands access and limits high concession prices to help small vendors and consumers, but does so at the cost of added compliance/administrative burdens and potential revenue/legal impacts for stadiums and local governments.
Small businesses (local vendors) will have greater ability to sell at publicly funded stadiums with lower entry barriers (no upfront vendor-only fees) and improved chances to win concession opportunities, increasing potential revenues and exposure.
Event attendees and taxpayers benefit from a cap on concession prices (no more than 7% above the local market rate), which limits price-gouging and reduces out-of-pocket costs at covered stadiums.
The FTC is authorized to enforce the new rules, giving consumers and small vendors a federal remedy against unfair or deceptive concession practices and a clearer enforcement pathway.
Capping concession prices could lower revenues for stadiums and concessionaires, which may lead to higher ticket prices, reduced services/amenities, or renegotiated lease terms that shift costs elsewhere.
Covered stadiums, concessionaires, and local/state governments will face increased compliance and administrative costs to document market-rate comparisons and implement leasing practices that favor small vendors.
Treating violations as unfair or deceptive acts under the FTC Act increases legal exposure for stadiums and concessionaires, raising the risk of federal enforcement actions and civil penalties.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires publicly funded large stadiums to favor small-business access to concessions, cap concession lease prices at ≤7% above an OMB-defined market rate, and ban right-to-sell fees for small businesses.
Official title: To require certain publicly funded stadiums to limit the price of concessions sold to patrons, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 3, 2026 by Hillary Scholten · Last progress September 3, 2026
Requires large, publicly funded stadiums (excluding colleges) to encourage small-business access to concession slots, cap concession prices sold under commercial leases at no more than 7% above a defined market rate, and ban charging small businesses fees simply for the right to sell concessions. The Federal Trade Commission enforces violations as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under the FTC Act, with the agency's usual penalty tools available.