IS IT TRUE? Part 2 July 27, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the biggest aggravation that we are hearing from our readership is with the premium seating that has reportedly all been sold in private transactions to preferred people?…that for skyboxes and loge seats to be sold out without offering the people of Evansville who are paying for this stadium even the opportunity to consider making these purchases is an insult to the taxpaying base of the City of Evansville?…that the arrogance and audacity of any group or individual to do such a thing may technically be legal but it is wrong?…that if the powers that be behind this scheme cared even a little bit about trying to make the new Arena a tool for unification that they would have known better than to exclude everyone but a handful of specially selected cronies to offer the premium seating to?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer thinks that the sneaky but legal (Snegal) way to carry out this scheme without having a contract with VenuWorks or any pricing approved by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is to do the following?…that the un-contracted VenuWorks would be given a list of preferred people and a provisional price sheet?…that then the un-contracted VenuWorks would approach these preferred people and offer them conditional contracts on the preferred seating?…that the condition associated with the contracts would be that the ERC would authorize them at a later date?…that when these preferred peoples conditional contracts are presented to the ERC by the un-contracted VenuWorks, the ERC will rubber stamp these contracts making the whole dirty little scheme legal?…that schemes like this should not be legal and should not be done in a free society with projects that involve public money?…that if the Arena was a privately owned and privately funded business that then and only then can backroom deals for buddies and cronies take place?

IS IT TRUE that the University of Louisville made preferred seating information for both the YUM Center and the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium expansion readily available online with pricing spelled out in detail?…that all sold out and there were no identified crony deals exposed?…that sometimes MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO is the best policy and that this was one of these times?…that some people and some systems just do not seem to function unless they employ SNEGAL (sneaky but legal) policies?…that these people are well described by the adjective Machiavellian?

IS IT TRUE that there are people among us who are believers in astrology and religiously read horoscopes to see how a person’s day will be?…that astrology assigns much importance to the day, week, and month in which a person is born?…that Mole #3’s favorite member of the Evansville City Council Connie Robinson is a LEO and is celebrating her birthday today?…that it is reported that Councilwoman Robinson will have 39 candles on her birthday cake?…that as similar birthdays go that the owner of the City County Observer Mr. Ron Cosby will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow on July 28th?…that City County Observer editor Mr. Joe Wallace will be having a birthday on Friday July 29th and boarding a flight to San Jose for an extended trip to Silicon Valley and surrounding areas on that day?…that this combination of three sequential birthdays could invite comparisons of their personality types to either give credence or to dismiss any truths behind astrology?

IS IT TRUE that the Three Stooges had his birthday on July 19th, October 5th, and October 22nd?…that Curly, Moe, and Shemp were brothers from Bensonhurst, New York?…that Councilwoman Robinson shares her birthday with hound dog baseball player Alex Rodriguez and Olympic skater Peggy Fleming?…that Ron Cosby shares his birthday with Hugo Chavez, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Betty Wallace (Joe’s mother)?…that Joe shares his birthday with Geddy Lee of Rush, Peter Jennings, and Alexis de Tocqueville?…that all of this astrology stuff seems to be rather silly but entertaining?

IS IT TRUE that the company managing the arena, VenuWorks, has been quoted that they may reveal the company that bought naming rights for the new downtown Arena soon?…that VenuWorks Evansville Executive Director Scott Schoenike said on July 19th that a company has been chosen, but there were some lingering legal details to complete?…that one of those lingering details must be the fact that VenuWorks does not have a contract and that multiyear contracts like naming rights must be approved by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission in a public meeting?…that the next such meeting according to their schedule will be on August 2nd?…that the Freedom of Information Act request that was filed by the City County Observer has a drop dead date of July 30th so we should have all of the communication that has been exchanged regarding the premium seating and sponsorships before the ERC has an opportunity to approve any AFTER THE FACT actions?

IS IT TRUE that in between all of the hubbub over the downtown Convention Hotel at the ERC meeting on July 19th that a little noticed resolution was passed regarding the premium seating in the arena?…that the minutes have not been approved yet and they have not been posted to the website?…that it looks like we will be finding out soon just what privileged few were approved as buyers of premium seating that has never even been offered to the public?…that we shall know soon who are the golden children of Evansville who have been so favored by the Weinzapfel Administration and the ERC that they were able to buy premium seating at unpublished pricing that was never even offered as an option for the un-favored people?…that these rascals in charge need to remember who it is that they work for and hope that the people of Evansville have short memories?…that the arrogance of selling every premium seat in a public building in private transactions is just beyond comprehension?…that rather than the Latin term Carpe Diem (seize the day) the Latin motto for the premium seats could be Premo Diem (Squeeze the Day)?

IS IT TRUE that if one really wished to understand the depth of the problem with finding financing for the proposed downtown Convention Hotel that examination of what existing hotels in similar locations or even superior locations are going for under the auctioneer’s hammer?…that auction.com that advertises itself as the nation’s leading real estate auctioneer and loan sale advisor has a 372 room hotel that is operating and in quite good condition in Richmond, Virginia that will auction off online during the August 15 – 18 auction?…that the unpaid loan balance on this 372 room hotel is $29.5 Million?…that the opening bid meaning the least amount that the lien holder will accept for this 372 room hotel is $1.7 Million?…that this amounts to 5.76 cents on the dollar relative to the loan amount?…that when developers that are attempting to find conventional financing for the downtown Evansville Convention Hotel that this is the kind of deals that they are competing with for financing?…that as long as foreclosed hotels and distressed sale hotels are selling for 5 cents – 10 cents on the dollar that conventional financing will be a very difficult if not impossible thing to sell for a new construction loan in Evansville?…that the details of the auction are on the following link?

http://www.auction.com/Virginia/notes-auction-asset/123002446-1472-See-Due-Diligence-Documents-RICHMOND-VA-23230.html

IS IT TRUE that for those who are willing to register on this site that the entire due diligence study done by outside professionals is available?

IS IT TRUE? July 26, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has scheduled a special Executive Session for Thursday July 28 at 11:30 am at the EVSC administration building boardroom?…that although no agenda has been released that the topic of discussion shall be the downtown Convention Hotel proposals?…that it has been put forth that a decision will be recommended to hire some outside firm to do a complete vetting of the two proposals that have been submitted?…that the ERC will be calling in a pinch hitter to bat for them on the all important 3rd Strike?…that this body has survived 2 strikes thus far with much damage to the credibility to itself and that it would very much like to have a paid outside source to blame should the third strike go whizzing by again?…that this should have been done the first time folks?

Batter Up!! Thank you sir may I have another?

IS IT TRUE that there is another 3rd Strike opportunity that is coming home to roost for the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that this pitch is called the McCurdy?…that someone has done some landscaping work down there this week which may just be good news for the project?…that the Mayor’s beanstalk that was being used by rats to climb up to the top floor to steal food from the pigeons and bats has been eradicated?…that we hope that this is good news and congratulate whomever has been doing the yard work on a job well done?

IS IT TRUE that in the event that Lloyd Winnecke becomes the next Mayor of Evansville in the November election that his seat on the Vanderburgh County Commissioners will be up for appointment?…that the heir apparent to Commissioner Winnecke’s seat is thought to be none other than County Councilman Joe Kiefer?…that in the event that Mr. Kiefer is appointed to the Vanderburgh County Commissioners that will leave a place on the Vanderburgh County Council?…that Mole #3 who is retiring from the molehill in November allegedly has his desires set upon Mr. Kiefer’s seat on the County Council?

IS IT TRUE that the new director of the Evansville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Mr. Bob Warren has been tasked to go forth into the world and publicize the tourism opportunities of the City of Evansville?…that going forth into the world to do such things requires money and promotional materials?…that the City County Observer supports these efforts and encourages the Vanderburgh County Council to appropriate at least $300,000 so that Mr. Warren will have the resources to do this important part of his job?

IS IT TRUE that City Councilman and Chairman of the Budget Committee John Friend, CPA went to Mayor Weinzapfel to suggest a vetting committee for the downtown Convention Hotel proposals?…that Councilman Friend (D) suggested that City Councilmen Curt John (D) and Dan McGinn (R), County Councilman Russ Lloyd Jr. (R), and ERC member Greg Elpers CPA should join him on the vetting committee?…that the Mayor rejected Councilmen McGinn and Lloyd on the basis that they would make the vetting committee TOO POLITICAL?…that we find that to be hilarious?