Last night I was talking with a friend who was wondering why there wasn’t a more formal and welcoming grand opening at the new events center? While they would prefer to remain anonymous, I will say this about them, they were very, very instrumental in getting the EC built.
His idea was to have a FREE concert for the opening event that the title sponsors and other businesses in town could underwrite. Basically the concert would consist of local, regional and a middle popular national act, but not something too expensive. It would have to be ticketed, but make tickets available at all the HyVees and make it first come, first serve. He also suggested the concert gets simulcast on Channel 16 CityLink and in the Arena and Convention center, so others in the community could share in the experience.
I told him it was a great idea, but apparently all we are getting for the almost $200 million in taxpayer debt is a chance at buying a scalper’s overpriced ticket to see a yahoo in a cowboy hat rap about country roads and bonfires.
SMG and the City; Gigantic Fail!