“IS IT TRUE” MARCH 6, 2019—Article of john Martin with Scott Schoenike

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We hope that today’s “Is It True” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

IS IT TRUE that the VenuWorks owned and City of Evansville subsidized team that plays hockey inside the Ford Center and known as the Evansville Thunderbolts is having a bad year when it comes to performance? …the win-loss record of the Thunderbolts is now 9 wins and 37 losses and the prospects for making the playoffs is out the window? …quite frankly the Thunderbolts are dead last in the semi-professional league that they play in and are suffering at the box office too?

IS IT TRUE that a couple of days ago the highly respected journalist John Martin of the Evansville Courier and Press wrote an interesting article concerning the Evansville Thunderbolts Hockey team and the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville Arena Football team?

 IS IT TRUE that John Martin wrote, “that the Evansville Thunderbolts since their second season has been owned by VenuWorks, which is the entertainment company with a city contract to run the Ford Center”?

IS IT TRUE that Scott Schoenike is employed by VenuWorks to run the Ford Center and the Evansville Thunderbolts?  …that the Executive Director of the Ford Center Scott Schoneike told John Martin of the Courier and Press; “having a hockey team is important to the arena financially, even on nights when few people are there.”  … when Mr. Martin asked Mr. Schoenike to provide the Courier and Press with the data related to the Evansville Thunderbolts hockey team expenses and revenues he declined several requests to do so?  …that Mr. Schoenike also said; “those figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events at the arena”?

IS IT TRUE we can guarantee that Mr. Martin’s requests for Mr. Schoenike to provide him with the data related to the Evansville Thunderbolts Hockey team expenses and revenue reports will be backed up by numerous “Freedom Of Information Requests” submitted to him and others on behalf of the Evansville Courier and Press?

IS IT TRUE it seems appropriate that the City-County Observer reminds Mr. Schoneike that he or Venuworks don’t own the Ford Center but they are only the stewards of the public trust?  …that the taxpayers of Evansville own the FORD CENTER? …the taxpayers of this community expect Venueworks to provide the Evansville Courier and Press a detailed and accurate accounting of the Thunderbolts financial activities during the last several years?

IS IT TRUE since Mr. Schoneike publically stated that the Thunderbolts “financial figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events at the arena” it wouldn’t be a bad idea if the Evansville Courier and Press would also file a “Freedom Of Information Requests” for detailed accounting of every event held at the Ford Center over the last several years?  …by doing so the public will be able to see what Mr. Schoneike meant when he stated that “those figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events” at the arena?

IS IT TRUE that last year Scott Schoenike, the Executive Director of the Ford Center told the Courier and Press; “that he has been in conversations with several leagues during the past few years but waited for the right match.”  that Schoenike also said; “that the city believe they have found one in the National Gridiron League”?

IS IT TRUE that a lot of people are looking forward to watching Arena Football at the Ford Center?….we wonder why we haven’t seen any advanced marketing effort by the Ford Center in promoting the Evansville Indiana Firebirds first home game scheduled on April 12, 2019, at the Ford Center? …we are puzzled why this event isn’t even listed on the Ford Center upcoming events schedule?

IS IT TRUE the Indiana Firebird Arena Football team has been touted as going to play their first home game in Ford Center on April 12, 2019? …that the Evansville Firebirds are scheduled to play in 5 weeks?  They are currently advertising for players on INDEED with a wage of between $6,000 and $20,000 per year? …it is now alleged that team uniforms have been ordered and the extremely expensive artificial turf has now been ordered to go over the sheet of ice where the Evansville Thunderbolts play?…there is a Facebook page to keep you all up on the progress of Indiana Firebirds-Evansville arena football team in what may become the second coming of the Bluecats or Vipers?

IS IT TRUE we have been told by reliable sources that several key staff members of the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville have recently left team employment because they haven’t been paid since they started working for the National Gridiron League? …we have also been told by reliable sources that several former employees of the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville and another National Gridiron League team former employees have retained the legal services of an attorney located in Lousiville, Kentucky?

IS IT TRUE that our good friend Ronald Riecken is celebrating his 75th birthday today?  …he enjoys snake and alligator hunting in the Everglades?  …he is also well known as a water rat?  …if you get a chance give “Everglades Ron” a 75 birthday shout?

IS IT TRUE that the old beautiful home and grounds called The Rathbone that has served Evansville for many years as a retirement home has been sold and is about to undergo so very unnecessary changes that will not only degrade the property but the neighborhood it is in as well?…it has been deemed by some overlords that The Rathbone does not have enough parking places for the number of rooms it has and the beautiful parklike grounds are slated to be bulldozed down to put in concrete for parking places?…these are parking places that have never been needed and are not needed now to support the needs of the property?…it is our hope and desire that The Rathbone will be refurbished and updated but that the beautiful grounds should be allowed to remain the same parklike setting that it always has been?…those who like urban green spaces should let the people who run the City of Evansville and the new ownership that the best part of The Rathbone is its grounds?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that the Indiana Firebird-Evansville arena football team will play their first home game at the Ford Center on April 12, 2019?

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FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.

 

 

 

 

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7 COMMENTS

  2. Perhaps some may recall that the Council before this current one attempted to eliminate the required parking issue in the downtown and extended areas . . . which the eventual ordinance was so watered down, it was virtually useless . . . imagine downtown Indy before Indy became what it’s downtown is today if the leaders of that City limited the parking? When that ordinance was introduced, the most push-back came from the historical society and now apparently we out knocking down structures for parking?

  3. As been disclosed, the City is subsidizing the Thunderbolts? If so, commingling of funds from other operations (events etc) would be totally inappropriate. Perhaps the agenda may be to cast so many obstacles in the books and records of the Ford Center that the public will never know how financially inept the Winnecke Administration is and has been especially considering the Ford Center.

  4. I can’t wait to hear Kelly Coures’ excuses for why the DMD paid nearly 3 times more than what they’re getting back in bids for the old CVS building. I think last year the excuse was it was all a plan to keep bad businesses out. I hope no one tells this phantom bad business that the Burger King building is for sale next door and just about every other building along his bike path. How does this guy still have a job with the city? Can someone please answer that?

    • GOPer, Spot on comments. However, far more shopping carts use the path than do bikes. Also the buildings at the NE corner of Franklin and N. Main are about to collapse (the corner brick bar with blue door and “Earles” next door on N. Main). Does the City still have building inspectors?? Why does the City have the “park” on Main St. next to the old ONB building fenced off, but not these 2 buildings that are about to collapse?

  5. That old Rathbone Home has sat there and looked good for many years. It is sited near Haynies, where the city has spent some money the past few years to revive the area. Once those cement trucks dump their loads at the Rathbone, Evansville will have lost yet another part of its heritage. There will likely be ‘studies’, fancy charts and ‘design work’ to assure the public that the character of the facility won’t change. But it will.

    Nothing anyone can do about it, probably already a done deal by the time the plans surfaced.

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