The City of Evansville’s Catch 22: A Reminder Back by Reader Request
By: Don Counts, editor and Ralph Edwards, contributor
First published on September 16, 2010
The City of Evansville has posted its RFP (Request for Proposal) and all of those involved along with the interested observers are riveted in suspense to see just what developer will step forward to rescue the City of Evansville from the political no-win situation that its lackadaisical project management on the Arena/Hotel has created. Much like a dependent that dallies with college and wrecks the family budget by needing 5 or more years to graduate, the Weinzapfel administration ignored the obvious structural issues and value analysis in leading the people of this city into an unwanted and unnecessary quandary. The question is not just who the developer will be, it has become how much will the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County have to subsidize a Convention Hotel to get one built at all.
In all honesty, the Vanderburgh County Commissioners during this period, Troy Tornatta, Lloyd Winnecke, and Stephen Melcher collectively sat on the sidelines as enablers to the Mayor and his Indianapolis based team of advisors, failing to even attempt to perform their duties to manage our tax dollars as “Stewards of the Centreâ€. As “Stewards of the Centre†the Vanderburgh County Commissioners have taken oaths to provide for competent management of the Centre by assuring its revenue stream is free from avoidable disruption. The co-dependent relationship between the Centre and a Convention Hotel’s disruption was avoidable. Marsha Abell, Candidate for County Commissioner correctly introduced a solution that would have avoided this disruption in a spirited debate with her opponent Commissioner and Candidate for re-election Troy Tornatta last week. The fact that there is no Convention Hotel in operation now and that it is tenuous at best in the future is not due to the earthquake in Haiti. This is the failure of local governance of the City of Evansville Common Council, the Mayor, and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners. One might even call this deliberate indifference (deliberate indifference is the act of knowing what needs to be done and deliberately choosing not to do it). Like Nero fiddling away while Rome was burning, our elected City and County officials just let the Executive Inn dilemma slide into chaos and panic until it was an uncontrollable quandary.
The Evansville Courier and Press opined in an editorial this week that they are willing to wait until the private sector sees a Convention Hotel in Downtown Evansville as a worthwhile investment. The implication of course is that the City of Evansville should not offer incentives to a developer to fill what has been characterized as a desperate need for a Convention Hotel.
The City County Observer agrees with the Courier that private investment is the best way for the City of Evansville to grow. We also believe that any plan to go forward must be grounded in financial reality. As was published by CCO freelance contributor Joe Wallace in his article called “The Executive Inn Dilemmaâ€, the gap between the value of a Downtown Convention Hotel as desired and the cost to build this hotel has to be filled and private investment is not likely to fill that gap. As a reminder the size of that gap is approximately $20 Million.
In the absence of a “Knight on a White Horse†with a crock of gold and a quixotic quest to bail out the City of Evansville’s need to replace the Executive Inn, there are two short term realities. The first reality is to do without a Convention Hotel and the second is to offer an incentive package that is sufficient to induce a first class developer to take on this formidable financial task. By any analysis method chosen, starting from the dilapidated shell that we see today, it is our opinion that this incentive package will have to be quite substantial.
The City County Observer respectfully differs with the Courier’s position of waiting until private money recognizes Downtown as worthy of a $30 – $40 Million investment in a 3-Star or above Convention Hotel. Frankly, in the real estate market of today and the foreseeable future, it could be many years or more before a prudent investor would realize sufficient value to embark upon this project. Evansville does not have years to wait; we have an Arena to fill and a Centre to maintain now. We need a Convention Hotel right now to help pay for the operation of those facilities and to contribute to repaying the bonds issued to build them.
We as a community, willingly or unwillingly have already committed or invested $200 Million in the Arena/Centre/Executive Inn complex. Even if the incentive package has to be $20 Million or more that is only 10% of what is already on the table. In poker terms the expected value exceeds the price to play. The only logical decision at this point is to call the bet and raise the incentive package. When Junior doesn’t finish college in four years, the parent’s best choice is to chastise Junior but to make sure that Junior has the resources to complete his education.
It is time to set the politics of the elections of 2010 and 2011 aside and do what it takes right now to make an investment in a Downtown Convention Hotel attractive and to sign a deal with a capable developer complete with a prudent financing package. Posting the RFP that is not really as much of an RFP as it is a solicitation for interested parties was the right thing to do. Make haste, time’s a wasting; it is still remotely possible to have a simultaneous opening of the Arena and the Convention Hotel. This may be a short term political Catch 22, but the only long term winning solution for the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County is to protect the $200 Million that is already committed or invested.
It is time for the investment attracting capacity of the Arena to prove itself even if it is just some more public money that gets invested to enhance the quality of life and inspire economic development. It is time for Mayor Weinzapfel, the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, the Evansville City Council, and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners to prepare for the future and do what they all know has to be done. The time for smiling for the cameras is over. The time to finish the job is at hand. The voting public of Evansville and Vanderburgh County deserves stewardship and oversight. It is our prediction that the elections of 2010 and 2011 will be the days of reckoning for all of those who were derelict in their duties.
Note: The City County Observer is a publication that buys in to being fiscally conservative. That constitutes sound financial management from day one. That is clearly not what has happened with the stewards of this project. The oversights, rushes to judgment, and lack of planning have put Evansville into a position to make decisions that should have been disclosed two years ago. Simply because we advocate fixing the Porsche that Junior wrecked does not mean that we would have ever supported getting Junior the Porsche in the first place.
IS IT TRUE? December 10, 2011
IS IT TRUE? December 10, 2011
IS IT TRUE that we are beginning to hear reports of encouragement from one City Council member to another that it is time to “GO WITH THE FLOW†and get on board with ziplining the recommendation of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to fund the Kunkel Group to move forward post haste in getting the public money committed to stick that first shovel in the ground at the corner of MLK and Walnut?…that this “friendly†advice started a couple of weeks before last Tuesday’s announcement of the ERC’s recommendation?…that it has even been said that the real driving force behind shoving this through quickly is local organized labor?…that local labor need not fear who is the eventual builder of the downtown Convention Hotel because the RFP had a provision in it that requires the builder to sign a Project Labor Agreement so the local trade unions will get all of this work no matter whether Kunkel, Prime, or some future entrant to the mix gets this deal?…that local labor won the day the RFP was written anyway so it would be best to do the right thing all around with the taxpayer’s money?
IS IT TRUE that digging a bit deeper into the expressed reservations of Sara Miller who cast a NO VOTE and making the details of her objections to going forward is a task worth doing before calling for a funding vote?…that we think that everyone from the CEO of the CVB right down to the lowest paid workers at The Centre understand that downtown Evansville needs this hotel to compete for conventions?…that most people also understand that the Ford Center will be fine without a hotel as Roberts Stadium was for over 50 years?…that if there is to be a prosperous and tasteful downtown Convention Hotel that he time to set that platform into place is right now?…that even if the determination is that Sara Miller is right and that this needs to start over that the prosperity of10 years from now is dependent on getting this right and that Ms. Miller has made some very valid points?
IS IT TRUE that City Councilman John Friend, CPA is the right person to head a discovery committee to prepare a recommendation for the City Council when this comes to a vote?…that releasing the Hunden findings are a key place to start this discovery?…that for the ERC, the DMD, and the Weinzapfel Administration to keep these findings secret is the financial equivalent of withholding evidence or obstruction justice?…that if those findings reflect well on the ERC decision and if Councilman Friend’s discovery create a glowing report that the funding proposal should sail through the City Council with a 9 – 0 vote and the shovel can hit the earth?…that if the Hunden findings and Councilman Friend’s discovery do not reflect well on the ERC recommendation that it is time to start the RFP process over again and that the Winnecke Administration is the group to do it?
IS IT TRUE that there is a wonderfully correct bumper sticker that was seen on this writer’s recent trip to the left coast that simply stated “California, ITS ALL TRUEâ€?…that it is good to be back even if it is 50 degrees colder?…that missing out on the ERC meeting this week after having written so much about valuation, the prospects for financing, and the convalescent home for pigeons actually stung a little?
IS IT TRUE that there has always been a little piece of this writer’s mind that hoped that the obstacles with the McCurdy would be overcome in spite of the clusteryouknowwhat that the project was but that now it is time to turn the page and get on about finding something that is both positive and achievable for that block?…that without regard to bought and paid for appraisals, Hunden findings, or opinions of the last days of the administration that this guy stands by the previous analysis that at the end of the day the market value (not to be confused with construction cost) of the downtown Convention Hotel as proposed is between $18M and $22M inclusive of everything?…that Fort Wayne understood this but Evansville does not seem to get it?…that when a financial incentive package is put together to relieve the builder/operator of any obligation higher than that we may actually have a project with a business model that will yield prosperity?…that this guy gives a big thumbs up to Sara Miller for taking the stand that she did and hopes to see a working business model come forth in the future?…that this is not about WHO, this financial reality is about HOW?
IS IT TRUE? December 9, 2011
IS IT TRUE? December 9, 2011
IS IT TRUE that Indiana’s best known technology entrepreneur Scott Jones of Cha Cha is reportedly continuing to raise a ruckus over the difficulty in reaching the tech centers of Boston and the Bay Area because there are no direct flights from Indianapolis to either of the tech and venture capital hotbeds?…that what Scott realizes that many others don’t is that direct access is one of the keys to accessing talent and capital which are really the only currencies of value in growing a technology based economy?…that the CCO hopes that Indianapolis heeds Scott’s call and does something about such flights and hope furthermore that Evansville will find a way to attract or maintain a commuter flight to Indianapolis that will allow the folks down here in the capital of Western Kentucky to leverage any direct flights that Indianapolis is able to put into place?…that there is no reason whatsoever for a trip to the west coast to consume and entire day and leave the traveler exhausted?…that the access to talent and capital have stifled Evansville for decades and will continue to do so unless this problem is solved?
IS IT TRUE that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has passed a resolution encouraging the 2012 legislative session to pass the Right to Work initiative?…that like it or not Right to Work seems to be the wave of the future so the only question is how many years behind the 8-ball Indiana will be?…that rather than fight a tide it is much easier and more productive to learn to surf?…that there will be many studies with self fulfilling conclusions?…that the studies that are snapshots of this very year will conclude that Right to Work is not such a great thing?…that studies that go back 30+ years and compare the growth and lifestyle changes will make Right to Work look better?…that a real simple non-scientific metric would be to just compare any Midwestern state to Alabama, Mississippi or Georgia?…that today at least in Indiana’s case our unemployment is lower and wages are similar (except SW Indiana of course)?…that over the course of the last 30 years the Right to Work states have made dramatic progress growing from agrarian economies to modern economies and they have done this at the expense of the Rust Belt?…that understanding this and making an informed decision without the benefit of adrenaline or prejudice will be one of the most important outcomes of the 2012 legislative session?
IS IT TRUE that yet another politician has been caught in a pay for sex scandal?…that this time it is former member of the State House of Representatives Brian Hasler who represented Evansville for 8 years that is accused of offering money for sex?…that some of the actions that elected officials from President Clinton down to Representative Hasler get caught in would make one think that they have no sense of justice or appropriateness at all?…that it is not a crime to give away sex so the thing that really gets these rascals in trouble is turning a hook-up into a transaction?…that at least the Alpha President was not ever accused of paying?…that it must be his charming personality?
IS IT TRUE that there is finally healthy dissension within the ranks of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that ONB Commercial Loan VP Sara Miller voted no on the basis that she has seen nothing to lead her to believe that either of the proposals to build a downtown Convention Hotel will lead to a profitable business?…that it took courage for her to say this and that her vote needs to be taken seriously by the Evansville City Council as they decide whether or not to fund the ERC recommendation?…that the absolute worst thing that could happen would be to get a hotel to the 90% completion point and see the developer run out of cash or to finish the hotel and find it in bankruptcy during the first year of operation?…that is why Ms. Miller is finding her way and looking out for the taxpayer’s interest?…that bankrupt and inoperable hotels of the type and size being considered are available all over the country right now for less than $5 Million?…that going forward without explicit endorsement of the construction plan and the business plan by a competent entity which the ERC is clearly not puts at least $8 Million taxpayer dollars in harm’s way and paves the way for the new hotel to join the McCurdy on the roles of abandoned structures in Evansville?…that the people of Evansville are counting on City Councilman John Friend to use his CPA to do a deep examination of the reasons for Ms. Miller’s NO VOTE and to explain this clearly to the City Council whenever they deliberate on funding this recommendation?
IS IT TRUE? December 8, 2011 Part 2
IS IT TRUE? December 8, 2011
IS IT TRUE that John Corzine former Governor of New Jersey and the beneficiary of several pre-election Air Force One visits in his re-election campaign now has a new quote attributed to him over the bankruptcy of the company he headed after being defeated by Chris Christie?…that his words now “I simply don’t know where the money is†when questioned about what happened with MF Global which is becoming a second round of Lehman Brothers meltdown?…that the CCO wonders just how many elected officials on all levels would have to utter the words, “I simply don’t know where the money is†if they were pressed to reveal what is going on with their budgets and stashes?
IS IT TRUE the rank and file political types from both parties are quietly talking among themselves concerning the Mayor Elect’s decision to openly push Vectren Executives as members of his transaction and swearing in team?…that one wonders why he would open embrace anybody as important members of his political team and advisors from Vectren since he should be aware of the negative opinions that the masses presently have towards this company? …now all eyes shall be focused on how many individuals from Vectren shall show up on his final campaign financial report?…that many of the Mayor Elect’s supporters are extremely disappointed that he didn’t take a strong public stance against the proposed fee increases sought by Vectren?…that maybe the finance report will shed light on why he didn’t?
IS IT TRUE that the selection for the new Evansville Chief of Police is all but over?… that all eyes are turning to whom shall be selected as the next Assistant Chief?…you can expect an interesting candidate to be selected that shall please many of the Rank and File?
IS IT TRUE it’s be reported that there a good pool of qualified candidates are vying to become the next Evansville Fire Chief?…that no one should be surprised to hear that a past Fire Chief shall be one of the two finalists for this position? …that you can rest assure that the present Evansville Fire Chief and his key people should begin to start packing his office to return to the ranks?…that we predict whoever is selected as the next Evansville Fire Chief the old way of back room political wheeling and dealing are over?…you should not be surprised to hear that the new Fire Chief shall make an extremely popular pick as his Assistant Fire Chief?
IS IT TRUE that the political star of Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams seems to have taken a tumble last night with some of the caucus votes going to Crooks instead of Skates?…that the reason given for this was because Sheriff Williams signed the “best friends for life†pact supporting Democrat City Councilwoman Connie Robinson’s endorsement of Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke?…that the 24 who chose Crooks may have been a majority for Mr. Skates if it had not been for the 23 who supported a party officer who supported a Republican….that all actions have consequences and Sheriff Williams will have a consequence along with the other 22 who pinky shook to support Councilwoman Robinson?
IS IT TRUE that the CCO now has it on good authority that there is no details commemorated in a bound folder that would be called a study by Hunden Strategic Partners?…that there is indeed a powerpoint presentation that said very little about one of the bidders and said very little that would be encouraging about the other bidder?…that maybe Sara Miller was on to something when she was deliberating on how to vote?
Zoeller joins 53 other attorneys general in fight against robo-calls to cell phones
Attorney General Greg Zoeller joins 53 other attorneys general asking Congress to oppose legislation targeting consumers’ telephone privacy.
The “Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011†would amend the Communications Act of 1934 and allow for robo-calling to all cell phones, leaving consumers to foot the bill, Zoeller said. For example, debt collectors and other businesses could place automated “informational†calls to cell phones, impacting those who pay by the minute or have a limited number of minutes available.
In addition, since businesses frequently have the wrong contact information, consumers could be getting and paying for repeated robo-calls on their cell phones with respect to accounts that are not their own.
“This letter to Congress sends a very clear message that the consumers in America, represented by their attorneys general, do not want to allow robo-calls to their cell phones – period,†Zoeller said. We hope our representatives in Washington D.C. hear this message loud and clear. H.R. 3035 constitutes an assault on consumers’ privacy and does nothing to add protections, which is the stated purpose of the original Telephone Consumer Protection Act.â€
The attorneys general are asking members of Congress to reject U.S. House Resolution 3035. As chief protectors of consumer rights, many state attorneys general would not be able to enforce their more strict state laws against junk faxes, prerecorded calls or text messages.
This legislation would also narrow the definition of what constitutes an illegal “automatic telephone dialing system.” If passed, the new definition would only prohibit “random or sequential number generators†which means “targeted†calls would be permitted, Zoeller said.
Currently, federal law allows robo-calls to be placed to people who have given their explicit consent to receive them or in case of an emergency. If this federal legislation passes, the law will be expanded to allow businesses to robo-call any consumer who has provided their telephone number in the course of a transaction – regardless if a consumer asks not to be contacted.
In the letter, officials also pointed out that an increase in calls to mobile phones could present a hazard to drivers who may become distracted. A 2009 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that cell phone use was involved in 995 or 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes.
“The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is meant to protect consumers and this bill goes in the wrong direction by opening a pandora’s box – giving businesses carte blanche to make calls to personal cell phones regardless of consumers’ wishes of whether or not to get those calls,†Zoeller said.
The proposal is currently being considered in the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce – the first step in the legislative process. Zoeller joined other consumer advocates in November to provide testimony in opposition to the legislation during a hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology in Washington, D.C..
Citizens can also voice their opinion on the proposal by contacting their representative or by voting on Popvox’s nonpartisan website https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3035. Popvox will also forward consumers’ comments to members of Congress.
Those that signed the letter are from: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Evansville-based author selects local public library and program for Library Foundation grant as part of 2011 Indiana Authors Award
University of Evansville Professor Margaret McMullan directs $2,500 grant honoring all Indiana authors to local programs
The hometown libraries of the three Indiana authors who were recently awarded the 2011 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award will each receive $2,500 grants this month. The Award, a program of The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, and the subsequent grants seek to recognize the contributions of Indiana authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation.
National Author Winner Margaret McMullan named the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library as a recipient of $1,500 and the Willard Library’s Children’s Services Program as a recipient of $1,000.
Regional Author Winner Helen Frost named the Allen County Public Library in her hometown of Fort Wayne, IN, and Emerging Author Winner Micah Ling named the Franklin Branch of the Johnson County Public Library in Franklin, IN as grant recipients.
“I am so honored to be named as this year’s National Award recipient,†said McMullan. “I moved to Indiana about 21 years ago to teach at the University of Evansville, and I’ve grown to love this state, its people and its strong literary heritage. I feel privileged and humbled to be a part of all that this award celebrates, including the ongoing value of public libraries.â€
Public nominations of authors were submitted from across the state earlier this year and eligibility included any published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years. A ten-member, statewide Award Panel selected the winners in the three categories, which were announced last month.
Information about nominating an author for the 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award will be made available early next year. To learn more, contact The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation at (317) 275-4700 or visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.
About The Glick Fund: Eugene and Marilyn Glick are two of the most generous philanthropists in Indiana. In addition to establishing the Indiana Authors Award with The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, the Glick family has funded Indiana educational institutions, arts organizations, hospitals and the Pro-100 program, a leadership program for underprivileged youth. Recent grant recipients include the Indiana Historical Society Living History Center, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Glick Eye Institute at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
About the Library Foundation: The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation supports and enhances programs, services and facilities of The Indianapolis Public Library, and its partnerships in lifelong learning initiatives that benefit a diverse community. Through advocacy, fundraising and stewardship, the Library Foundation supports numerous Library initiatives to enhance patrons’ lives, including early literacy programs, homework assistance, workforce development and technologies, including a variety of online library resources. The Foundation works to support these initiatives, making educational opportunities available free of charge to all Library patrons.
About Margaret McMullan: McMullan currently teaches in the Department of Creative Writing at the University of Evansville where she is Professor and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing. A recipient of a 2010 NEA Fellowship in literature and a 2010 Fulbright at the University of Pécs in Pécs, Hungary, McMullan is the author of six award-winning novels. Her novels include “In My Mother’s House,†a Pen/Faulkner nominee; “Cashay,†a Chicago Public Library 2009 Teen Book Selection; and “When I Crossed No-Bob,†a recipient of many honors and awards for young adult literature and parents’ choice awards. Her latest book, “Sources of Light,†is an American Library Association 2011 Best Book for Young Adults and a Chicago Public Library Teen Selection. McMullan’s work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Ploughshares, Southern Accents, TriQuarterly, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Greensboro Review, Other Voices, Boulevard, The Arkansas Review, The Montréal Review, National Geographic for Kids, The Southern California Anthology, Southern Accents and The Sun. http://margaretmcmullan.com
North High School Plans Open Houses for New Facility
Two open houses are planned to showcase the new location for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation’s North High School – one on Wednesday, Dec. 21; and the second on Thursday, Dec. 29. Both will take place from 4-7 p.m., and are free and open to the public.
The open houses are in conjunction with North’s first boys’ and girls’ basketball games to be played in the new facility and will be self-guided tours of the facility. Admission to view the facility is free; however, game tickets will be $5.
 Dec. 21: North Boys vs. Mt Vernon. Junior Varsity game begins at 6 p.m.; Varsity at 7:30 p.m.
 Dec. 29: North Girls vs. North Posey. Junior Varsity game begins at 6 p.m.; Varsity at 7:30 p.m.
The campus of North High School and Junior High School is located at 15325 Highway 41 North. Entrance to the school can be gained through its main entrance off Baseline Road. Parking for the open houses and games will be located at the north and northeast ends of the building.
The high school entrance is located on the far north end of the building.