No surprise that the special interest brownosers at the Gargoyle support the event center funding idea, but what is even more idiotic is some of the obvious points they make in their editorial;
Where will Sioux Falls get the money to build an events center any way?
History shows that having that answer upfront is critical to any chance of local voters giving their approval to build.
No shit Sherlock. That has been my point all along, approve a funding source first then start hammering out the details. It’s easier to plan a facility when you know what kind of revenue you are going to have to build it. I think the Task Force got it assbackwards. First off, voters could vote down the tax increase, which I think they will. Remember they voted down a tax increase of only .02 cents to build the rec center. They are freaking crazy if they think Sioux Falls voters will approve a full cent in a down economy to build anĂ‚Â entertainment facility that most voters won’t even be able to attend.
The idea is to include the type of provisions – primarily a sunset clause – needed to garner support.
A sunset clause? It should be called a bullshit clause. Don’t be fooled by this. TAXES NEVER GO DOWN. NEVER. Once the city pays off the Event center, they will just find other things to spend the money on, upgrades, etc, etc. This will be the sticking argument opponents need to point out.
There’s a window of opportunity here.
Sioux Falls needs its leaders to make sure the city doesn’t miss it.
But we will miss it because of this stupid funding idea. That’s what bothers me the most. I support a new EC and expanded convention center, it will do wonders for our economy, I don’t deny that. But why come this far just to have voters reject the idea? Which I think they will overwhelmingly. They need to switch gears immediately and support a B & B tax instead and take that to the legislature. Voters would support it and it is funding source that can stay in place.
Is anybody on the Task Force or at the Gargoyle Leader using their brains? One wonders.
As a resident of Sioux Falls, I would like to see a new events center. I’d rather spend my money in Sioux Falls than travel to Sioux City, Omaha, Fargo or the Twin Cities for concerts, the circus, etc.
But as a citizen who is concerned about the recession and people in lower-income brackets, I don’t want essentials such as food taxed. Sioux City did not tax food to build the Tyson Events Center. Rapid City did not tax food to build its events center.
I want Sioux Falls to move forward but not on the backs of those who can’t afford it. I propose a tax such as a hotel/restaurant/booze tax or a tax on political advertising in place of raising the sales tax.
But we will miss it because of this stupid funding idea. That’s what bothers me the most. I support a new EC and expanded convention center, it will do wonders for our economy, I don’t deny that. But why come this far just to have voters reject the idea? Which I think they will overwhelmingly. They need to switch gears immediately and support a B & B tax instead and take that to the legislature. Voters would support it and it is funding source that can stay in place.
Is anybody on the Task Force or at the Gargoyle Leader using their brains? One wonders.
~l3wis
The task force AND the Argus editorial board simply do not get it. How many times and how many ways do they have to be told this way of funding will NEVER pass the smell test when put in front of Joe Sixpack at the voting booth.
It’s almost like the TF wants the idea to fail because they know how stupid their idea sounds and don’t want the blame when people reject it on cost alone.
A smaller, 10,000 seat EC downtown would pass if funded by a B&B tax. A giant concrete box surrounded by a parking lot and shitty-looking buildings and funded by taxing food will not – and that goes without saying that people will be pissed about tearing down Howard Wood Field to build a parking lot. Lots of memories in that old stadium.
It’s all getting what they WANT instead of what we really NEED. A smaller EC DT would work for SF. But instead they want gigantor dome, and you can’t pay for gigantor dome with a B & B. Instead of just having a B & B tax you could also have a corporate entertainment tax and a tax on advertising. The voters would approve that in a heartbeat.
How truly sad & pathetic. After all this time we are going to be right back where we started when this plan goes down in flames.
Well in their defense they have only been dancing around the issue for about five or six years now. Clearly they need another three to four years and at least five or six more consultants to offer their opinions on the matter before they actually break ground right?
The first concert to be held at the new Events Center is probably going to be a band which hasn’t even been formed yet.
Hannah Montana’s farewell tour.
Im so excited for this Events Center to be built! Can’t wait for its grand opening in 2045… Hmm.. How old will I be when that happens? A majority of the TF will probably be gone by then. I still don’t get why the eff they are still trying to pass a FOOTBALL DOME. I can see why they want one for more convention space.
What the TF doesn’t understand is that the reason Des Moines and Omaha have been so successful with their CONVENTION CENTER has been its primary location since not only does the money go to the CC it also goes to the businesses around their Events Center.
Do they not realize how OUT OF THE WAY the current site is? I mean come on, for all of us who live way on the south or east side, it takes us a good 15-20 minutes just to get up there for football games and for band and crap! I had to do that everyday for 3 Weeks from the end of July to early this month. Waste of gas, waste of space, waste of money. That location is terrible for any sports center.
And when the vote fails they will pull out the classic saying that they did after the rec center and indoor pool vote. “The citizens are against progress.”
No we are not, we are against stupid ideas. Figure it out already.