Is the Events Center doomed? Probably.
Here we go again down nowhere street. Another study-task-force-monkey-fuck with no results.
I’ll say it for the 1,000th time, until voters approve a funding source, which includes heavy corporate sponsorship, it will go nowhere.
Besides the pissing match between Build it Downtown on the River front Cherapa place people and Huether’s dry dream of putting it at the Arena, there is other conflicting matters;
• There is no corporate sponsor
• There is no clear price
• There is no clear question to the public
• There is no clear demonstrated need
• The economy cannot support it
Councilor Jamison’s vision of building a convention center downtown while converting the current CC into a rec center while remodeling the Arena is the best option. I see this scenario kicking up a lot more corporate sponsorship and it seems to fit better with the current economic situation.
Is the Arena a dump. Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but it does need to be fixed up. My philosophy is simple; when your fridge breaks down in your kitchen, do you remodel the entire kitchen, or buy a new fridge? That is kinda what we are faced with here. The Arena fits our needs, it just needs a ‘spiff up’
From what I have been hearing from multiple sources and camps is the Events Center is dead in the water again, but many great alternatives are emerging.
Many people say I am too negative, but negativity can only be harmful if use it to destroy instead of innovate. I think the latest round of Events Center dance parties will demonstrate that this time we can pull something positive from the ashes that has corporate sponsorship and private non-profit club support.
Taxpayers are not opposed to helping a brother out, they just want a hand in the deal.