Another great letter (response) about the Event’s Center.
I wholeheartedly agree with John Mimmack’s call to “Build events center ‘right the first time,’ ” as his My Voice column in the Oct. 15 Argus Leader was headlined. Mimmack needs to pursue due diligence, however, if he wishes to insinuate that I support a downtown site for the events center out of personal gain.
Public records will show that I own no property in Sioux Falls, let alone downtown. I believe I sufficiently addressed the most salient reasons why an events center should not be built next to the Sioux Falls Convention Center in my Oct. 8 My Voice column. As an urban planner, I cannot in good conscience support a proposal that falls short in terms of fiscal sustainability and community enrichment.
A cost-benefit analysis would show that a downtown events center would be the most financially viable location, especially when considering the current economic malaise. If critics of a downtown site wish to debate the issue, they need to use facts to support their case rather than conjecture.
Furthermore, it’s become all too cliché to claim that anyone who supports a downtown events center has something to personally gain from it. Like Mimmack, I prefer Sioux Falls “build (a new) events center right the first time.”
That’s what bothers me the most about the EC arena location supporters. They seem to think that if you don’t support their flawed decision to build the EC by the Arena, they think you don’t support an EC at all. Not the case, I think we should build an Events Center, I just think the location and funding is extremely flawed and there is still time to fix it, we haven’t even voted on it yet. Joe is right, do it right the first time.
Here’s what I don’t get – when the task force was formed their job was to first determine whether it was needed, and then if it is needed they were to add the details. It seems to me the first step is being completely ignored, especially evident during the news reports of that silly meeting with “young professionals” earlier this week.
Do you have a link to that story, I didn’t see it
Go comment here about the funding;
http://blogs.thepublicopinion.com/newsmonger/?p=796
Scott says:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Here’s what I don’t get – when the task force was formed their job was to first determine whether it was needed, and then if it is needed they were to add the details. It seems to me the first step is being completely ignored…
In six years of existence, the Sioux City Tyson Event Center has prolly put up no better attendance numbers than our own Arena. That, in part thanks to people from this community going to Sioux City for “events”. Put two of these monstrosities 90 miles apart and it will only spell FAILURE for both Sioux City and Sioux Falls.
Warren, I had found a story in tghe Sioux City paper last year that had stated SC was about to make its final payment on Tyson and pay it off.
I’m sure the financing was long term, and like Fargo, SC was able to pay it off in approx 1/3 of the term.
Now how could that be the case if the place was such a dismal failure?
Sy, can’t recall if all this has been hashed out here or in the gargoyle board. But we have been thru this before.
Remember this from jmurphy???
Tyson was built with the assistance of a state program called Vision Iowa. Vision Iowa was ste up to help larger communities, such as Sioux City, build quality of life structures such as Tyson. Cities had to have a very comprehensive funding plan involving both public and private money including PSL’s, suite leases, naming rights, pouring rights, advertising, county and city money. The cities presented this plan to the VI board along with a request for money from the fund that would complete the funding for the project. Sioux City was originally turned down and essnetially told to do it over and come back with a better plan, which they did and were awarded $20 million. Sioux City was able to secure a $4 million naming right from Tyson, leased all of the suites, and sold a good number of PSL’s. The city contributed money as did Woodbury County. They also qualified for historic tax credits by attaching the new center to the old Auditorium since it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city essemtially leases the building from a non-profit called Missouri River Histori Development since the city itself couldn’t apply for the tax credits. I’ve prpbably over-simplified that part but that’s about all I know about it.
This website, http://www.visioniowa.org, lists all of the projects completed and how to apply for the funds. It can surely explain better than I can. It’s a great program and has funded alot of projects that would have NEVER gotten out of the planning stages.
As you and others have pointed out, there are EC’s that have popped up all over the Midwest. Competition will be fierce for the decent acts that have the POTENTIAL to seat more than 6,000. Sioux City has a 12,000 seat EC, and no one here can tell me what they have attracted in their six years of existence that put more head count in their seats than our own existing Arena could have.
So in SIX years of operation in Sioux City, the Tyson Event Center MIGHT have had three crowds of 8000? Heavy on the word MIGHT, cause nobody here can show me some hard verifiable numbers. Consider this. The Tyson’s crowning jewel for the entire year of 2008 was the Carrie Underwood Concert. The Tyson Event Center has a capacity of 9657 for concerts. Carrie’s draw? 6516.
And it does not stop there. ALL of the Sioux City so called “professional” sports venues do not even come close to their sports seating capacity.
And college “events”? The Womens National NAIA tourney was held at the Tyson Center this year. 31 games in all. Two out of three of 31 games were played in front of crowds of LESS than 1000. One of those games had an attendance of 256. The game that generated the most interest was between Northwestern and Morningside. Attendance? 5200. Capacity for basketball? 6309. ALL OF THESE GAMES COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN PLAYED RIGHT HERE AT OUR OWN ARENA.
Back to concerts. Here are some big names who have played in Sioux City since the Tyson Center opened. Bill Cosby, Sheryl Crow, BB King, Bob Dylan, Wynton Marsalis, David Copperfield, Willie Nelson, Jewel, Alison Kraus, and Jerry Seinfeld. Impressive acts. But guess what? They played at the ORPHEUM THEATRE in Sioux City, not the Tyson “Events” center.
And don’t forget Sy. This “Event” Center will be funded wholly on the backs of a citizenry that WILL NEVER use it.
“I had found a story in tghe Sioux City paper last year that had stated SC was about to make its final payment on Tyson and pay it off.
I’m sure the financing was long term, and like Fargo, SC was able to pay it off in approx 1/3 of the term.
Now how could that be the case if the place was such a dismal failure?”
Are you assuming all of the funds used to “pay off” the Tyson EC actually came from revenues derived from the actual facility and/or increased tax revenues that resulted from it’s being built (secondary growth)?
If so, you should run for Mayor. You seem to already have a knack for shifting tax dollars around to suit your version of reality.
I don’t see why we’re arguing about this.
Either it will go to a public vote and be shot down in flames, or it will be pushed through without a vote and the planned funding source – a temporary (LOL) sales tax – will be shot down in flames.
Either way, the people put in charge of this deal really screwed the pooch by allowing htemselves to be sold on building a huge concrete box by the CC in order to add more convention space.
I think it is important to discuss this because the TF can still switch gears on funding, parking, HW and location. Thursday is an important meeting with legislators over the funding part of it, I have a feeling they are gonna here an earful. I would prefer they delay their recommendations and go back to the drawing board and reconsider the the funding – I think they will.
Wait for the next mayor, a fresh look with several (hopefully 4) new councilors involved. It seems studies were ignored and stubborness has set in. By then, city financial status and revenue will be ascertained. Rushing into this asures contracts to problem contractors.