IS IT TRUE? August 12, 2011
IS IT TRUE that what the City County Observer truly seeks is to promote good public policy?…that when it comes to the Arena deals that are being negotiated good public policy constitutes having contracts that add strength and enhances the probability of success for the private businesses that are to be the major tenants of the Arena?…that today the subjects of most interest that are indeed private and for profit are VenuWorks, the Evansville IceMen, and the two respondents to the RFP to build a hotel?…that all three of these need to be vetted well for staying power so that a revolving door of teams, developers, and promoters due to poor up front choices?
IS IT TRUE that all VenuWorks, the IceMen, the Kunkel Group, and Prime Lodging are all relatively young businesses that are stepping up to assume risks in new and unproven markets?…that all of these businesses are in this fracas because they see an entrepreneurial opportunity to prosper by leveraging the people of Evansville’s investment in the new Arena?…that the Arena is a 50+ year asset and is not sitting on wheels so the threat of moving the Arena to Louisville is just not real?…that the City of Evansville is a municipality that has the authority to tax to meet its obligations and is assumed to have established staying power?…that the City of Evansville through a series of public meetings and committee sessions made the decision to borrow $128 Million to build the new Arena?…that the pro-forma developed and presented during those meetings included a hockey team, a management company, and of course held the assumption that a 4-Star hotel would be right next door?…that the survival of VenuWorks, the IceMen, and the hotel developer/operator are quite important to the City of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that any deal that is made with any of these businesses or future businesses that involve dates at the Arena that does not promote and enhance the success of these businesses is a bad deal for the City of Evansville?…that it is a general rule that start-up businesses do not necessarily make a profit until the third to fifth years?…that the Arena itself needed to consider this during the planning stages and needs to consider this for ITSELF in the formulation of these contracts?…that the City of Evansville needs to make deals with companies that have solid business plans, depth of knowledge, and solid financial backing?…that to expect emerging businesses to assume all of the risk associated with the large risk that the City is taking is unwise?
IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer fully agrees that in the long term that the Arena needs to operate in a manner that it can fulfill the promises made by the Weinzapfel Administration during the public meetings that “NO TAX INCREASES†will be needed to fund the Arena operation?…that to expect that the Arena will cash flow in year 1 is unrealistic?…that the Arena secured over $30 Million in borrowed money to cover soft costs like the start-up period’s operational shortfall?…that we doubt if the early private investors have such a luxury?…that deals made now that kill the early investors in the “Arena dream†are deals that will kill the long term viability of the Arena?…that if the City of Evansville really wants a “WHITE ELEPHANT†downtown that the certain way to do this is to enter into agreements that do not allow VenuWorks and the Evansville IceMen to make a profit?…that we should all remember the BlueCats and what happened to them due to excessive costs and low attendance?…that if one thinks it was difficult for hockey to get a foothold in Evansville, one needs to imagine a second team deciding to come here if the IceMen fail?…that the same goes for VenuWorks?
IS IT TRUE that we expect to see the month of August end with solid deals on the table that allow both VenuWorks and the IceMen to believe in their business model and to feel as though the City of Evansville is their partner as opposed to their warden?…that we expect to see the month of September end with a good agreement in place with a thoroughly vetted hotel developer?…that to expect anything less would be to give up on the City of Evansville?…that we hope our expectations are met for the long term success of the people of Evansville as the myriad of other legacy problems comes home to roost upon the next administration?
Is the Arena designed and physically set up for ice hockey? If yes, then let’s stop fiddly-frickin’ around and get the deal done! Twenty-eight home games, 30, 32, whatever. And it looks like the IceMen can perform for $7.00+ per general admission. Get the deal done, dammit!
Like many people in Evansville, I know next to nothing about ice hockey. I’m a Big Ten fan, and I love baseball. But what we have here is an arena set up for ice hockey. Get the deal done, dammit!
I cannot wait for the doors to open, and the games to begin. I’d pay $7.00 to watch the two proverbial rats perform their natural acts. What else we got to do on the Walkway. That and enjoy the clubs before and after the games. And with a venue and a team down there, the clubs will be one hell of a lot more fun. Get the deal done, dammit!
Set a benchmark gate per game. Give the IceMen a percentage of the gate over that benchmark. Set a benchmark concession purchase per attendee. Give the IceMen a percentage of the concessions over the benchmark. What’s with the petty greed and false bravado? You got an alternative for the vacant dates between concerts, UE games, and revival meetings? NO! So, get the deal done, dammit!
“S IT TRUE that the City County Observer fully agrees that in the long term that the Arena needs to operate in a manner that it can fulfill the promises made by the Weinzapfel Administration during the public meetings that “NO TAX INCREASES†will be needed to fund the Arena operation?…”
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We must have attended different meetings. At the last public meeting before the city council voted on the project, I asked for assurance that the city would never use ad valorum property taxes to service the arena debt.
No one at that meeting, and the mayor was sitting in the first row of the audience, would give that assurance. The best they could say was that they had no “plans” to use property tax money to service the debt payments.
It is my belief that the current designated taxes may very well fall short of the mark needed for debt service on the arena sooner, rather than later.
At that point in time, the person holding the city executive chair will be forced to ask the city council for the use of property taxes to service the arena debt.
I doubt that Mr. Weinzapfel will still be residing in our community at that time.
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The more we promote economic growth in the downtown TIF, the less chance your concerns become reality. But your free to continue fretting. I just hope it’s not catching.
Promote all you want! Just keep your hand out of my pocket.
MERRIAM-WEBSTER
entrepreneur
: One who organizes, manages, and assumes risks of a business or enterprise.
Currently, most of these functions are being performed by local government and the taxpayers.
I really had a good laugh about the photo of the gentleman in a suit holding a piece of cardboard upon which was written: “MBA, Will work for food”.
Around here they are standing on the street corners yelling: “MBA, will work for a piece of cardboard and a magic marker”.
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So, how many jobs have you created in the past 24 months, Mr. Total Free Enterprise?
Precisely my point. I looks as if the local taxpayers are the only ones “creating”, if you can call it that, jobs. The jobs are all but finished, but the taxpayer debt lingers on for the next 30 years. Its what happens when government tries to create a market where none exists.
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My point remains, it exists. Make the best of it.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/06/17/japanese-scientists-create-meat-from-poop/
A poop sandwich is still a poop sandwich, no matter how you cut it.
Is it just me or is it crazy to be going on and on about the future of a sport that very few in this area know anything about?
I mean,really,how many people around here have ever in their life watched a hockey game all the way through?
When was the last time you had a conversation about icing or checking or whatever it is that they do?
Sheesh,why not get a professional synchronized swimming team in here?
Field hockey?Darts?Curling (the ice will be there)?
1200 average attendance? I’d wager that if you presented 2 dogs copulating at some time and date at some location in Evansville there would be 1200 people attending.
There’s just nothing else to do here.
It’s just the way things are here.And ,actually,that’s what a lot of us here like about this area.
Why not capitalize on this?
Instead of imitating other cities and their facilities,we celebrate our anonymity!
Walk down a street in Indy,or Fort Wayne,or Gary (take a gun),and ask random passers-by where Evansville is.Record how many know,or could point the direction of it,or have ever heard of it.Repeat same in Chicago,or Cincy,or any close by town.
The point being,we have a great natural,untapped, resource right here.
No one knows we’re here!
We are the perfect hide-out place!
In these tumultuous times there are thousands of people,from all walks of life,that need a place to go where they can not be found.
Well shoot,come here.
Nobody’ll know where you are!
The marketing,logo,and motto ideas just leap from your mind.
“Evansville!-Forget time,this is the place everybody forgot!”
“Evansville!-Money paid daily to tell us what we already know!”
“Evansville!-If you can’t cheat us you’re not really trying!”
Anyway,you get the idea.
The Casey Anthony’s, the Bernie Madoff’s(if he ever gets out),the Lindsay Lohan’s, etc.,need a place to chill.
We are perfect for that.
Heck, maybe they like hockey.
Evansville’s biggest problem is the negativity and self hate from people like you.
Negativity is a problem, but you really think its the BIGGEST problem?
I dont think the negativity came from nowhere.
When you have leadership this sneagle, this irresponsibly progressive, this disconnected with the population, this secretive, with a record this botched… and replacements this weakly, “different”? Guess what, you get discontent.
We have long endured the phenomenon known as, Taxzapfel, don’t deny us discussions of it.
BTW: It is, just as self hating to think Evansville SHOULD be competing with Louisville with a new stadium or other cities with bigger, better, Hockey/baseball/tennis/soccer/concerts/high-end condos/etc… as it is to think it was a good city, as it was.
Look, if I wanted to drive to Louisville to a sports event, I would. I’ve lived in Louisville. No thank you. I’ve lived in D.C. No thank you.
I’m not even thinking about Evansville competing with mid-sized cities or big cities, whatever. Not interested. Just sayin’, if I can pop downtown, enjoy a couple of brewskies at the Peephole or Main Gate, drop by the Arena for $7.50 and watch some guys bang around on the ice for a while, and drift on back to Jazzy Grooves or wherever. That’s cool enough for a night’s cheap thrills.
Big cities, distant destinations, all that jazz is made for big money vacations.
Well, well, don’t let any of OUR “NEGATIVITY”, stop you and Steve from getting your, “cheap thrills”…
Thanks for the hall pass.
haveagoodun,
If you’re hiding here, and you’re not a progressive.
Watch out, you will get blamed for everyones problems! (Even normally rational folks like soon2b will just tell you to, go take a hike. Over your attitude alone.)
To steal from Mark Twain, When the end of the world comes I hope to be in Evansville, because everything here happens 20years after it happens everyplace else
Gosh,sorry. I was just trying to be humorous.
Nobody thought it was funny?
OK, I’ll just sit over here.
I did.
Thanks!
Well soon2b–here is where I stand , I was never opposed to a New Arena in Evansville, I disagreed with the “Way” it was done by King John, so as to avoid the State laws on referendums,
(when the Amount to be spent went over a certain amount, and if it was to be serviced by property taxes). The Intent from the begining was to put it in old downtown, thus we have a $250 Million (incl. int.) “John”.
Since We were forceably used, and abused by the Downtown Elitest Scum –I would not give them all the Green Flies they could eat, if they were Starving to death! The Downtown Politics, have created in me, a
SWORN ENEMY of Old Downtown,– I WILL NEVER LET UP on that “Rat’s Nest”.
NEVER.
Crash, here is where I stand, I was never opposed to the new arena in Evansville. I disagreed with running it through the redevelopment commission rather than a referendum, or at least solely at the disgression of the city council AFTER public hearings.
I agreed that it should be funded using TIF funds, therefore located in a TIF District. I know Mayor Weinzapfel said it couldn’t be done without the supplemental funding from other sources that are available because of its location downtown. I don’t know about those things. I only know that if it were located in the Martin development east of Burkhardt, 1) the TIF increments would be greater because the develpment would be raw agricultural tax base to heavy commercial, and over 95% of the tax increase would be TIF increments, and 2) the location in the Burkhardt TIF between Lloyd and Morgan along Crosspointe Blvd. would alleviate the traffic/parking nightmare sure to accompany large events downtown.
I have no quarrel with those you describe as “dowtown elitist scum,” because 1) they are humans too, and 2) they are simply trying to develop THEIR real estate resources the same as the rest of us try to develop OUR real estate resources. In both cases, the market will prevail anyway. So be it.
What I’m tired as hell of is friends of mine like Steve Fritz (and others) pouring their hearts, souls, blood, sweat, and tears into downtown venues only to have sour spoil sports badmouth and beat down everything located in or related to the Walkway district.
So, bottom line, once again, the Arena is located where the Arena is located. No turning back. Like it or not. And it’s time to support and promote the Arena, or let it languish, which surely would result in a negative impact on ALL OUR property taxes.
What? No dinner or a movie? No afterglow or a cigarette? I bet you will forget the anniversary too!
Oh well, there it is, take it or leave it.
Soon2b,–And Im Darn(sp) tired of seeing a vast amount of the community’s resources spent for years, and years(yes, there is a history), on a small part of the City, in Total , it’s getting old, and I guess the Creeps I refer to, do enjoy using the rest of us to further their interests, and to the detriment to the other areas of our City!
I hold them in contempt, and they can count on it!
Sorry, but, the downtown barflys and winos are welcome to “The John” and that unburied dead horse, old downtown.
Why would anyone go there?—is the only question I’ll pose when the opportunity arises ,—-hopefully it get an answer better than, the simpleton’s rational, —-“I need a place to Drink”.
Well, talk about an “elitist” attitude.
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