Road to Riches

MSNBC.COM -- Apparently the new investment opportunity is concrete. Or more specifically, buying or leasing roads, bridges, airports, etc. (and possibly one state's lottery system?), believing you can run it better (or charge higher tolls) than the government can. Whole new stocks, trusts and funds are opening up for people who want to get in on it, even. In one case, a private company invested $3.8 billion to build a toll road which they then lease from the state for the next 75 years. It'll take 15 years to make the money back, but from then on, it's mostly profit (minus maintenance and upkeep). Critics contend that it hurts the the general population, but moreso the lower class and that there's no guarantee that these companies won't later turn around and sell the infrastructure to someone else who won't manage it as well. More...