IS IT TRUE? February 29, 2012

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IS IT TRUE? February 29, 2012

IS IT TRUE that on Sunday, the City County Observer published a letter from Bob Warren, the Executive Director of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau to the Roberts Stadium Committee advocating for a half price set of ball fields relative to the $18 Million “Taj Majal of Ball” that our previous Opus One loving CVB board of directors pushed hard for back in the days when borrowing to the max on every cash stream available was in vogue?…that of all of the things that we have learned about Mr. Warren that we have come to admire a good sense of value and a practical way of planning are at the top of the list?…that we have had such a good set of experiences with Mr. Warren in one on one meetings that we expect that “winging it” is just not a part of his character?…that what we would appreciate from Mr. Warren with respect to his Ball Majal resurrection letter is a line item of estimates for just what his proposed $8M – $10M proposal would be buying?

IS IT TRUE that the last round of gilded ball fields included lots of extras thrown to the City of Evansville that really were not considered by many to be an appropriate use of the hotel tax money like demolishing Roberts stadium and adding infrastructure improvements to the city’s assets under management?…that when all of the hidden gifts to the previous administration were stripped out of the Gilded Fields maybe the last proposal was really only an $8 Million project after all?…that the real questions regarding a little league sports park are THE COST and THE LOCATION?…that even the CCO accepts Mr. Warren’s realistic estimates of 30,000 to 40,000 visitors per year that is in line with similar parks in similar cities?…that we appreciate Warren’s considered honesty as opposed to the hype that we were subjected to previously?…that MILLION DOLLAR BALL FIELDS are still excessively priced when compared to what is spent elsewhere?…that there is still a large outpouring of citizen opposition to this location for a sports park?

IS IT TRUE that there is one more thing that makes us leery of investing any money at all in a sports park?…that the City of Evansville’s Parks and Recreation Department though new leadership is in place has still not proven that it can get through the summer without seeing existing parks turn into garbage filled jungles?…that when the City of Evansville has proven that it can mow the acres that it has, then and only then should we consider any project that would expand the maintenance responsibilities of the City of Evansville?…that this same argument goes for the last week of the Weinzapfel Administration’s announcement of the so called Centennial Park down by the abandoned Greyhound Bus station?

IS IT TRUE that we encourage Bob Warren to keep his chin up and his thinking cap on?…that last year when Mr. Warren was touting what Evansville already has as a great tourism draw that we were encouraged and even fawning over his words?…that this spring should be spent getting what we already have into worthy condition so Mr. Warren can work his magic with his new promotions budget to get some heads into these empty beds?…that the days of Gilded Ball Fields and a new Downtown Convention Hotel may come someday when the City of Evansville gets its act together enough to attract investors but this is not that day or even that year?…that we thank Mr. Warren for his proposal but encourage him to get on about the business of doing the best that he can with what he has to work with?

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Is it true that this morning’s Courier quoted Mayor Winnecke as stating “The idea of a softball/baseball complex near Roberts Stadium was thoroughly debated last year, and the community came to the consensus that the Roberts Stadium property was not the best location for the development. While I believe a complex such as the one proposed would be a great recreational value and would benefit the city economically, I am not in favor of locating it within the footprint of Roberts Stadium.”?

    Is it true that we thank the mayor for respecting the views and efforts of Wesselman neighbors and friends, and that those who value park land and the quiet peace and beauty of nature are very grateful?

    • The baseball complex should be put at:

      Kleymeyer Park. The Bob Walther’s Golf and Fun could provide entertainment during downtime of youth baseball tournaments and as Jordan Baer has pointed out, the site’s address would be First & Diamond. I also like Jordan’s ideas about linking this facility to Garvin Park (Little League field of Don Mattingly) and Bosse Field (historic baseball stadium and set for the movie A League of Their Own).

      The old Kmart (current flea mkt) near Hwy 41 and I-164/Veterans Memorial Pkwy. The advantage of this site is that it would be very visible and would improve the look of Evansville’s front door from the south.

      Both of these sites are fairly close and would be a straight shot to downtown which would provide ample lodging when/if they ever build/renovate a hotel down there.

  2. 1:10pm
    The parallel story running in the CourierPress has been buried. Apparently, the uproar from readers about this ball-fields project at the Roberts Stadium site, was so loud, they had to throw a rug over it. …

      • You have a problem with the headline? OMG, the first sentence is about the most poorly constructed and confusing heap of babble I ever read in a newspaper:

        “The head of the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau recently asked the Roberts Stadium Task Force to consider ball fields at the site, attempting to revive a plan that garnered little public support during when it was first proposed in 2010 and which is currently opposed by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.”

        Where does C&P get such writers?

          • An internship would assume/require supervision. I would question whether the supervision they are receiving is adequate.

            I have had complaints about the C&P’s headlines for several years. I understand that headline writing is generally accomplished by senior editors.

            A while back, the C&P ran a misleading headline about production at Toyota. I talked to the senior editor of that section of the paper who defended the headline as being proper. Two days later there was a retraction by Mizell Stewart to the effect that the headline had been misleading.

            Inquisitive minds want to know.

  3. Is it true…..”that the days of Gilded Ball Fields and a new Downtown Convention Hotel may come someday when the City of Evansville gets its act together enough to attract investors but this is not that day or even that year?… (CCO)

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    I strongly suspect what we will be hearing from the new administration and the CVB about future gilded projects will go something like this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OPkALvJkWpg

    __

  4. The Department of Defense (Obama Administration) recently spent $ 750,000 on a soccer field at Guantanamo Bay (prison) so the terrorists (murderers) can play soccer. Mr. Warren’s baseball complex for $ 8-10 million sounds cheap. “Build it. They will come”.

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