Former Governor of Illinois May Face Prison Time

On count after count the former Governor of Illinois was found guilty by a jury of his peers. From trying to sell President Barack Obama’s Senate seat to attempting extortion on a school Blago’s defenses were repudiated by the jury. Two other counts were hung and another was deemed to be non-guilty.

This is a developing story, please check back.

Mole #63 Make Pertinent Documents Available, Please Read and Decide

The 2003 Lease Agreement

The 2003 Lease Agreement

The Site Plan

Wesselman Tennis Site Plan

The Recent Proposal

Evansville Community Tennis Association (ECTA)

Our mission is to “Grow Tennis in the Evansville Community”
Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation Presentation

Terry L. Clements
President of ECTA

Proposed Expansion of Wesselman Tennis Center

The lease signed in year 2003 for a term of 25 years with an extension of 10 years provides the ability for the ECTA to build 12 additional outdoor and/or indoor courts at the Wesselman Tennis Center. All construction requires the review and approval by the Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation.

In order to continue to grow tennis in the Evansville community additional courts are required to support the various ECTA Programs such as 1) Middle School; 2) Leagues; 3) Junior and Adult Tournaments. Currently Evansville is lacking the necessary minimum indoor court count required to petition for USTA League Championships. In addition this deficit restricts the ability to petition for high level Adult/Junior Tournaments.

The ECTA Wesselman Tennis Center Master Plan addresses growing tennis by the addition of six Indoor courts and six Outdoor courts within the existing lease property.

The high-level characteristics of the proposed expansion are:

Site:

Parking will be expanded to support the additional player capacity
Landscaping will be added along North, East and South of expansion

Indoor Building:

Specifications of indoor facility will follow USTA Court Construction Book
Design meeting local and state building requirements
Design and construction focused on minimizing operating expenses
Post-Tension construction resulting in longevity of investment
Locker rooms to address player needs
Office space to support professional tennis instructors and meetings
Mezzanine for viewing all matches
Energy efficient lighting
Energy efficient air handling

Outdoor courts:

Specifications of outdoor facility will follow USTA Court Construction Book
Post-Tension construction
Mezzanine for viewing all matches
Lighting equivalent with existing lighting with reduced pole height

OVERVIEW

Evansville Community Tennis Association (ECTA) is a non-profit 501-c3 organization.

Formed in year 2000 from the Evansville Patrons (youth) and Evansville Tennis Club (adult) with the goal of growing tennis in the Evansville community.

Our volunteer board consists of 3 officers and 10 board members listed below:

President – Terry L. Clements;Vice-President/Secretary – David Wu; Treasury – Barb Kemper;
Junior Chairman – Karan Wilson; League Chairman – John Wolk; Tournament Chairman – Barb Boone; Marketing Chairman – Amy Johnston; Facilities Chairman – Robert Patten; Legal – Brian Carroll; Women’s Professional Tournament – Kim Angermerier; Fund Raising Chairman – Kavone Mitchell; Member at Large: Larry Larson, Dr. Emil Weber

We are a Community Tennis Association (CTA) organized under the United States Tennis Association (USTA) with the mission to grow tennis. ECTA is in the Midwest Section, Indiana State and Central Indiana Tennis Association (CITA) District. ECTA has managed the USTA Leagues in Evansville since the inception of local league play. In the past 8 years we have had two presidents of CITA and various members sitting on CITA committees. In addition, Woodie Sublett from Evansville is currently the Head of all Referee for the USTA and Kim Angermeier is currently a Referee (both active members of ECTA).

We operate the following programs at the Wesselman Tennis Center: USTA Leagues, Local Leagues, USTA Junior Tournaments, USTA Adult Tournaments, Middle School, instructional and community service. Each program is targeted to different tennis players.

The Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation (EDPR) has partnered with ECTA in creating the existing lease signed in 2003 to support the growth of tennis by managing and improving the Wesselman Tennis Center.

The expansión and operational costs of the Wesselman Tennis Center are supported by programs ECTA operates and by donations from individuals and organizations.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation (EDPR) has partnered with ECTA in creating the existing lease signed in 2003 to support the growth of tennis by managing and improving the Wesselman Tennis Center.

The lease signed in year 2003 for a term of 25 years with an extension of 10 years provides the ability for the ECTA to build 12 additional outdoor and/or indoor courts. The lease requirements were fulfilled in year 2006 by the completion of 4 additional courts and installation of new lighting on all 12 courts.

7/15/2003: Wesselman Tennis Center Lease signed

2004-2005: Constructed 4 additional Post-Tension Courts

2005: Resurfaced (new paint and lines) on 8 courts

2005: Created gravel parking lot

2006: Replaced existing lights with Musco lighting for 12 courts

2007: Constructed Club House and Paved Parking lot

2008-2009: Constructed Viewing Stand on North side of facility

2010: Resurfaced (new paint and lines) on 12 courts

The estimated value of the capital improvements since the lease signature is $700,000. It is estimated that the current investments will out live the initial and extended lease term. The construction of the Club House and Paved Parking Lot required borrowing of $105,000 which was paid off in an eighteen month time period.

Since the signature of the lease the various programs operated by ECTA have grown. The two programs demonstrating the highest growth have been 1) Middle School Programs of 310 middle school students in 2010; 2) USTA/Local League Adult Program (450 league players) with an 11% growth in 2010. The growth of these two programs has resulted in high utilization of the existing 12 courts from April until October of each year.

During the years of 2009 – 2010 the lights were utilized an average of 4 hours each evening for 237 days per year.

Since 2005 the USTA 10K Women’s Professional Tournament has been hosted at the Wesselman Tennis Center. This tournament has been noted by the USTA as a model tournament in the areas of management and facility.

Facility Management and Use

Consistent with the management of the existing 12 outdoor courts and Clubhouse the management of the expanded facility would be the responsibility of the Facility Committee reporting to the ECTA Board.

This Facility Committee would be responsible for managing the staff required to operate the facility; for reviewing and scheduling ECTA League, Tournament and community programs; and managing the profit and loss for the Indoor courts. Revenue for the indoor facility to offset the operating costs would be derived from facility membership, instructional fees, league fees and tournament fees.

Outdoor courts would be scheduled based on ECTA programs while also providing public access.

IT IS TRUE that two members of the Evansville City Council have been requesting information that is pertinent to their capacity to serve as informed members of Council for three months now?…that the information that they have requested is very much under the control of the Office of Mayor Weinzapfel, Arena project manager John Kish, and/or the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development?…that the two Evansville City Councilman whose requests have been denied by silence are 5th Ward City Councilman John Friend in 1st Ward City Councilman Dan McGinn?…that the City County Observer officially offers to write Freedom of Information Act requests fee gratis for both of these gentlemen for any request that they would like to make?…that elected officials who are the selected stewards of the City of Evansville should never ever be denied access to information that will help them do their sworn duties better?

IS IT TRUE that James Madison observed, “A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both?”…that for the City of Evansville to deny information to members of the Evansville City Council has indeed been prologue to a farce or two or three or four right here in River City?…that the Executive Inn Dilemma, the quagmire down at the McCurdy Hotel, the Homestead Tax Grab, and the convoluted method in which Tom Barnett was paid his deserved and market rate salary are all products of what at times appears to be a secret society of city government?…that we truly hope that this prologue to farce does not prove Madison fully correct by becoming tragedy?…that the next 34 days will go a long way in determining if Evansville’s farces become tragedies with respect to the Executive Inn and the McCurdy as the Bells of the Day of Reckoning are poised to ring once again?

IS IT TRUE that federal government efforts to evade the constraints of separation of powers, judicial review, checks and balances and democratic accountability, has hidden its actions from public view for many years and over several administrations now?…that our federal government developed and executed its policies in secret, denied information to Congress, abused the process for classifying information, and narrowly interpreted the Freedom of Information Act all for our collective benefit?…that it seems as though the Evansville City Council is being treated with the same contempt that the Congress must be getting used to?…that those who think this is wrong on the federal level should certainly see similar actions from local government to be just as undermining of one of the tenets of good public policy?…that transparency is and should forever be expected of all governments especially local ones that deal with local issues?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,518 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,371 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 491 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

IS IT TRUE that we are very curious to see just how much money is allocated in the 2012 City of Evansville budget to design a solution to the CSO problem that will hopefully meet with EPA approval?…that the design fees associated with a $500 Million construction project are not trivial and need to be budgeted for?

Evansville’s Don Mattingly is Dodgers Team Manager

Embattled Dodgers owner Frank McCourt took the dramatic step of filing his franchise for bankruptcy Monday, setting up a showdown with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.

Mr. McCourt filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in Delaware in a last ditch effort to save the Los Angeles team from being seized by Major League Baseball, which took over day-to-day operations of the club in April amid concerns over team finances and security at Dodger Stadium.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/27/us-baseball-dodgers-bankruptcy-idUSTRE75Q2M120110627

IT IS TRUE that “CCO Mole #3” just reported that mayoral candidate Rick Davis and 2nd Ward Councilwoman, Missy Mosby are having positive dialog? … thanks to 4th Ward Councilwoman, Connie Robinson and 5th Ward Councilman, John Friend encouraging this dialog?… that all eyes are on City Council at Large candidate Jonathan Weaver to follow suit?…that this expectation may be dampened as it has been reported by high ranking Democrats that Mr. Weaver is a frequent guest at the Winnecke for Mayor headquarters at 4th and Main?

IT IS TRUE that Republican Party Chairman Wayne Parke pulled a political rabbit out of the hat when he discovered an extreme quality candidate for the 3rd Ward City Council?…that the 3rd Ward will now be an ideological battle for votes between a true liberal Democrat Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley and a centrist Republican Alan Leibundguth?…that Chairman Parke demonstrated political savvy by deciding not to sponsor a candidate for the 4th Ward against Councilwoman, Connie Robinson?…that the Democrats returned the favor by not running a candidate in the 1st Ward against incumbent City Councilman Dan McGinn?

IS IT TRUE that many political experts are extremely puzzled why Democratic Chairman, Mark Owen hasn’t publicly endorsed Rick Davis as the Democratic Central Committee’s choice for the next Mayor of Evansville? …that we are hearing the local organized Labor is starting to reach out to Mayoral Candidate Davis and is beginning to realize that there is a possibility that he shouldn’t be counted out?

IS IT TRUE that it has been over 67 days since Budget Chairman and 5th Ward City Councilman, John Friend, CPA publicly requested from John Kish (Arena Czar) to provide him and the Council a copy of the Property and Casualty Insurance report prepare by Old National Bank which the City allegedly paid $100,000 for the report?…that the Mr. Kish can run but can’t hide, according to Councilman Friend, because budget hearings are fast approaching?…that key elected officials are quietly scrutinizing the activities of the Vanderburgh/Evansville Information Technologies Department?…that City’s of Evansville website says it all?

IS IT TRUE that if ideas are what is needed to keep Roberts Stadium alive and open that it will truly have a long and productive future?…that there have literally been 30+ decent ideas floated in this publication and others since the word came down that the City of Evansville was recommending that the mothballs be placed on August 3rd?…that the City of Evansville in its rush to mothball Roberts Stadium may have just started the thought processes of many of the citizens of Evansville?…that ideas are only ideas and that unless some funding comes forward with a solid business plan to get the $300,000 per year expense off of the back of the City of Evansville that the relentless drive to swing the wrecking ball will not be abated?…that as much as Roberts Stadium evokes great memories and is now sparking the ideas that this really will come down to money?

IS IT TRUE that there is precedent in the City of Evansville for aging buildings to be sold for token amounts like $1 to private businesses that wish to pursue profitable enterprises in them and return the buildings to the tax rolls?…that the scrutiny that these deals have been vetted with have run the gamut from checking a pulse to an attempt at vetting the business?…that we would bet that anyone with a funded proposal for Roberts Stadium will be met with the most rigorous vetting process that the City of Evansville has ever mustered?…that vetting processes should be applied equally but they are not?…that the degree of vetting depends on how much the powers that be want a headline or a hope for a project?…that the powers that be want a downtown hotel badly and we see how that vetting process has gone?…that they want Roberts demolished so the group with money and a plan had better be prepared with funding, working capital, and a repair plan for the long list of defects that we are sure that the City of Evansville has accumulated regarding Roberts Stadium?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer wishes good fortune upon any group that comes forward with funding and planning for Roberts Stadium?…that like our best and brightest young professionals, our home grown entrepreneurs, and professional of all kinds that without the INVESTMENT DOLLARS in place, that the City of Evansville will swing the wrecking ball at Roberts?…that this investment will be Evansville driven or it will have very little chance of being realized?

IS IT TRUE that the downtown Coliseum has been run by a group of local people since 1971 at no cost to the taxpayers?…that there are still many events both private and public that pay good money for use of the Coliseum?…that many people have enjoyed the Coliseum during the last 40 years that this classic building was placed into the caring hands of a private entity?…that all of the rock concerts, country shows, wrestling, boxing, roller derby queens, wedding receptions, and civic organizations have not been able to hurt Roberts Stadium as a sports and entertainment venue?…that Roberts Stadium is currently a profitable building despite the wailing of those who want to see it eliminated?…that those who cry in fear that Evansville cannot support two stadiums need to look at how the Coliseum and Roberts have coexisted for 55 years?…that Evansville already supports the Coliseum and Roberts Stadium and that both are profitable?…that the only venues in the City of Evansville that supposedly bleed money year after year are the Centre and the Victory Theatre?

IS IT TRUE that there are two letters from citizens in the City County Observer that not only support the idea of keeping Roberts Stadium available and open but who have GIVEN A LONG LIST OF POSSIBILITIES for Roberts to host?…that non on those possibilities seem to be the types of things that would compete with the new Arena?…that for the champions of the new Arena to fear the competition from Roberts Stadium makes about as much sense as any of the following ludicrous mismatches:

LeBron James being afraid to play Mole #3 in a game of one on one basketball

Peyton Manning having anxiety over fear of losing a passing contest to Mole #69

Boris Gelfund trembling over an upcoming chess match against Mole #2 1/2

Mayor Weinzapfel expecting a knock-down drag-out fight from David Nixon in the 2007 election for Mayor of Evansville

IS IT TRUE that the new Arena will be spectacular and that for those who can afford spectacular and sell enough seats to justify using spectacular that there is no competition whatsoever over which venue is preferred?…that eliminating this non competition venue in the name of competition is about like a restaurant eliminating hamburgers from the menu and only serving steak?…that every town needs a good steak house but that everyone can afford hamburgers?…that there is a place for both and that hamburgers come in all shapes and sizes?…that we can think in terms of restaurants and arenas in the following manner?

Downtown Arena: Cavanaughs, Haub House, or Madeleine’s
Roberts Stadium: Cheeseburger in Paradise, Red Robin, or Applebee’s
Coliseum: White Castle, B &H Café, or Buzzard’s

IS IT TRUE that there is a place for all of the above places to eat?…that each serves a very different clientele and that each can thrive?…that each venue can too because everyone is in the target market for all three at any given time?…that if one can’t then the free market will take care of that kind of business?

IS IT TRUE that the idea of bringing big time tennis tournaments to town could be appealing?…that the new POLE BARN INDOOR TENNIS CENTER will not have a place to host even a small number of spectators?…that both Roberts Stadium and the Coliseum have hosted tennis as entertainment events in their illustrious pasts?…that Roberts as was pointed out by Martha Crosley in her letter to the CCO and the Courier today may just be the perfect tennis venue?…that it is already built and has no mortgage?…that raising the floor by enough to get back to where it was before the dodo design upgrade of the 90’s took it below the water table has been reported to be much less to implement than building the POLE BARN TENNIS CENTER will cost?…that it will destroy no park land to do?

IS IT TRUE that the powers that be have been whining and moaning that there are no ideas for what to do with Roberts Stadium?…that now the ideas are flowing?…that the powers that be need to put a vetting committee together to separate the sheep ideas from the goat ideas?…that the powers that be have a terrible track record with the exercise known as VETTING?…that maybe the powers that be should not have been granted any powers over financial matters in the first place?

CCO Publishers Weekly Kudos to People Who do the Right Thing

HATS OFF: June 26, 2011

Hats Off to the Weinzapfel administration and city engineer for starting to designs plans to make needed corrections at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue between Green River Road!

Hats Off to the Evansville Housing Authority for sponsoring the Youth Build program this is geared to help low income youths between the ages of 16 and 24 years old. This worthwhile program helps at risk students who have experiences with welfare, homelessness, foster care juvenile justice and long term unemployment. Hats off to the 2011 graduates of this worth while training program!

HATS OFF to the Directors of the Vanderburgh County Community Foundation for selecting Scott Wylie as its new Executive Director!

HATS OFF to the newly appointed Director of Reitz Home Foundation, Matt Rowe for taking the Reitz Home fund raising efforts to the next level!

HATS OFF to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals working to re-unite pets with their owners but also helping to find homes for those who have been orphaned! HATS OFF to Sierra Wilson (A Signature School Senior) for working with the Vanderburgh, Posey and Warrick County Humane Societies to help find homes for pets from the Joplin, Mo. area! IF you would like to help Sierra in this effort, please contact her at (812) 303-6863!

HATS OFF to Evansville Democratic Party City Council candidates Missy Mosby and Al Lindsey for burying the political hatched this week!

HATS OFF to SMG for pulling the marketing rabbit out of the hat by getting Kenny Chesney to come to Evansville Robert’s Stadium on August 7!

HATS OFF to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management giving the Carver Community Center child care center the green light to re-open! Hats OFF to Executive Director David Wagner and his outstanding staff for a great job in providing quality care to about 126 children from low income families!

And finally from Joe: HATS OFF to Ronald H. Cosby for sticking with his concept for a publication that advocates for good public policy through the tough years!…that without that tenacity and that famous hard head there would be no CCO today?

By: Steven Gansman

Hello Everyone,

Please be sure Connie Robinson, John Friend, B.J. Watts, Don Walker, have a chance to read this. I was unable to locate their email address.

The following are random thoughts concerning Robert’s Stadium, Wesselman Park, The Tennis courts and other possible uses for this area. Please understand this is not a Mayor Weinzapfel bashing or Arena hater email. Take a few minutes of your time and think about how many people can be served with a reconfiguration of the stadium and other areas in and round it. I have also sent this to Terry Clements, ETCA.

I am not a tennis player of any sorts. Have played for fun about ten times in my 43 year lifetime. I like the idea of an indoor facility to enhance the outdoor courts. I was curious if there were any thoughts given to raising the floor in Roberts stadium to a level where you could still have the minimum 35′ center court height and 20′ baseline height and still be able to get 6 courts inside (turned counter to where basketball courts were in the past. My understanding is a court would need a minimum of 120’x60′ to allow singles and doubles on each court. My estimate with a current floor of 144′ long x100′ wide with the retractable seats removed or either collapsed (unsure if which case with the bleachers) Raise the floor to a level where we could fit 6 courts crossways (compared to current basketball arrangements) and we would possibly be up to the “nose bleed” current seats. or maybe we wouldn’t have to be that high up as long as 6 courts would fit. If the floor was raised to an appropriate level for such use or even a lower floor (as long as the 6 do fit) it may open up the area to be used for other events when peek tennis season is not in session. I am sure you are aware of 12 new courts at the new North High School. This should relieve some of the current pressure of the Wesselman site. The raising of the floor would create a situation of a supreme tennis facility for this area from St. Louis, Indianapolis, Nashville, Louisville, or Cincinnati. Envision collapsable seating between the courts to create a surround for the Elite tennis players that may draw a nice crowd. Even envision new courts closer to the stadium with a tree planting surrounding the courts to create shade for those players in the mornings and evenings (east side of Stadium between the parking lot and the soccer fields with a shared food concession stand).

Envision a facility that could then be converted to other venues when the indoor courts are not reserved first. Envision with a floor that size and movable chair back seating we could possibly host a Pro Bowlers tournament, a floor that size has been converted to one or two olympic size pools and possibly a diving well for weeklong and weekend events. I have also seen a facility like Roberts converted into a huge indoor water park for a family, church, or city celebration and then host another event in a short turnaround time. I envision wrestling matches, gymnastics, cheer, possibly soccer (if height allows), track and field (height allowed – javelin), band competitions, Blow-Up events (inflatables), wedding receptions, even the home show if the logistics of the new arena don’t work out. I don’t mind the new arena location, let me be clear on this. Although, I do think Robert’s Stadium has a lot of potential as a non basketball, concert, monster truck, This is Our Story, or whatever would draw a large crowd as compared to the new Arena.

You would already have restrooms, concession stands, display cases, parking (which could be reduced and utilized by more ideas to follow), ticket entrance sales and counters. Even lighting, A/C, Heating, a great area to sell year round advertising that could transcend many events and places for select events. The “Sky Box” seats may be adjusted to a more user friendly situation. Think of the booth space that could be rented for sponsors in the current surrounding walkway areas which should not need to be as open due to fire restrictions as the seating will be adjusted. Therefore, allowing possible income through space rental. You would already have event rooms (current Stadium Club rooms) One of those rooms could be converted to locker rooms or possibly still use current locker rooms through some construction. The tunnel entrance will not have to accommodate the large vehicles as before, maybe a forklift or even scissor lifts. Even that can be altered. Think about what support you would receive if you presented a multi-use community facility instead of a single use or demolition. Watch the money come our way and watch the support, and visitors come to Evansville.

Then think of a chance to remove the current courts (new courts near stadium) and plant trees and include a water feature where the current courts are and increase the size of Wesselman woods for our children’s future.

I do appreciate your time in reading my thoughts and consider this in our (taxpayers) future community facility plans.

Think outside the box, think large and about a chance to serve many more people in our city and county.

Some other thoughts:

The opportunities for park development is endless.

Features desired in a park:

1. Rope course
2. Wildlife information stops
3. Bike rental and paths
4. Modern Restrooms
5. Rentable buildings for events- Private and public with heat and A/C
6. Climbing walls
7. exercise stations
8. Green areas – place to play lawn games: corn hole, hillbilly golf, whiffle ball, Bocce, croquet, pitch and catch, frisbee, sack-races, misc fun.
9. Sand volleyball courts (more)
10. Playgrounds – assorted small groupings close to each shelter so parents can watch their kids without leaving their family event.
11. Horseshoe pits or two ( per shelter)
12. Drinking fountains
13. Splash/water spot 12×12 is big enough for each shelter.
14. picnic tables
15. Charcoal grills and fire pits
16. Electricity access at open shelters.

I will include links of some videos from youtube and other sites that you can view to see what can be done with a multi-use facility.

More information and some videos and pictures of other ideas and examples:

http://www.astralpool.com/sites/en/Commercial_pools/Pool/skypool.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBXDQyYGmTE

Outdoor workout area – (created in cooperation with the National Gaurd and Reserve Units)
http://www.outdoorfunstore.com/commercial-fitness-healthtrek.asp
http://www.davidwilliamsassociates.com/fitness/triactive
http://www.outdoor-fitness.com/

Flow Rider pool (use at Hartke)

How Much does it cost for the smallest Flowrider stand?
Best Answer – Chosen by Voters from a random website;

Well, it took a little digging, but I think I have some
answers for you. Don’t take my word for it — check it out with Waveloch, Inc.
directly http://www.flowrider.com/

It looks that a 300 person-per-hour Flowrider:

“Capital Cost for Wave Equipment: $60,000 –
$75,000”

http://www.aquaticdesigngroup.com/

Operational costs are $25 – $40 per hour

Home

FlowRider video:

Stadium dimensions pdf from Evansville:

http://www.evansvillecvb.org/sites/default/files/ECVB%20Meetings%20&%20Conventions%20Facilities%20Roberts%20Stadium.pdf

Do something for all of us, not a few of us. I know many softball players, and most are good people. Yet, it seems even though they play on our worn out fields on a weekly basis, nobody seems to care enough to volunteer to spruce them up.

I am no engineer or accounting major so I have no solid ideas on funding. But, If it benefits more than a few people, the funding will be more easily obtained. Maybe even some local companies would volunteer some labor or monies if they saw a project that benefited many of our citizens. A true community park and facility for the people by the people.

I appreciate your time if you have read this far.

Any response is welcome, none are expected. Unlike, when a family member emailed every EVSC School Board member and Superintendent and received not one response. Her child is no longer in the EVSC. What a shame.

Thank you,

Steve Gansman

Should Public Dollars Compete with Private Business?

By: Martha Crosley

I had a here-we-go-again moment last week. It concerned taking something away from the majority and blatantly providing a small minority special interest with public property. Remember Wesselman Park? Remember last year when many of citizens of Evansville were upset and dismayed that park land was being used to support those interested in baseball, so interested in fact that they would take land away from a public park (land which belongs to all of us ) and tear down a public building (Roberts Stadium) to do so? This land serves as buffer to Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, a state and federally recognized preserve, the only one of its kind in the world. Many did not like that idea.

Well, here we go again. The Evansville Community Tennis Association has secured approval from the Parks Board to greatly expand the tennis courts and parking, and to erect a huge tennis building in Wesselman Park. I have nothing against tennis but substantial problems have been brought to light.
The first and foremost issue for many people is the taking of multi-use public land and making it single use. The land in question is a large open grassy field which is really the only large open space in the park where kids can throw a Frisbee, play touch football etc. It is also away from the main park entry road so if someone is chasing a ball, it is less dangerous should their attention lapse for a second. There is minimal parking so more land and trees would be taken for that.

For those of you interested in tourism dollars, these tennis courts will bring in a very low and slow return on investment. Tennis tournaments do not bring the numbers like other sports such as soccer and certainly not like the inflated estimates presented to us for the baseball fields last year. Again, tennis is a great sport, but placing more courts and a large building in Wesselman makes no sense unless tennis is your life.

Another problem concerns the fact that the contract which the Evansville Community Tennis Association has with the Park Board states that the adding of more tennis courts to Wesselman Park had a 2009 end time limit. The Park Board tells me that they verbally extended this contract but I can find no record of the date given or the length of extension. Surely it was not extended indefinitely and surely it would have been strongly reconsidered with all the remonstrations that occurred last year with the baseball fields fiasco. I can’t imagine our city government extending a contract with, say, a supplier of services or products for something like cleaning the stadium, printing our forms, or for paper towels in the rest rooms without a written and signed contract.

Then there is the issue of the large pole barn structure that is proposed to be built to contain 6 tennis courts. Folks, we already have a large building adjacent to Wesselman Park. It is called Roberts Stadium. It has been suggested on more than one occasion that we need to propose new uses for Roberts. Well here is one. And it is already built. If properly handled, Roberts could not only serve as a place for indoor tennis, but for other indoor sports as well. The concrete surrounding this building could be used as outdoor courts.

This smacks of another problem, the Evansville No-Plan-Is-Our-Plan Policy. If the new arena, the fate of Roberts, the baseball fields, the tennis courts, Wesselman Parks needs, considerations for the neighborhood, the desires of the people of Evansville, the sewer issues in the area, the pumps under the floor at the stadium etc, etc, etc had all been considered in making an overall plan years ago with input of experts and the public, think how much time, money, stress, and aggravation would have been avoided.

Other problems: Who in current local government is supporting this tennis expansion as a payback for favors rendered? What about legal problems like the question of tax money supporting the business of tennis when other local sports businesses in Evansville are running on their own with no public support? (Here I refer the gift of public land on which to run tennis and the potential of the Convention and Visitors Bureau providing funds for the project.)

Other problems continue to surface. Other connections run deep. It is your money and your land people. Start asking questions.

Suggestion: Contact the following groups to express your concerns. You should email or write a letter, not phone, for clarity, courtesy, and acceptance. It is time for the citizens to speak out.
1. Evansville Parks Board – Request a copy be provided to each board member.
2. Evansville City Council – Request a copy be provided to each board member.
3. Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau (att. Mr. Bob Warren)

IS IT TRUE that the Summer of 2011 is becoming deadline summer down at the MLK Entertainment Complex?…that there have been two deadlines come and go and that both were granted extensions to their deadline?…that the developer for the McCurdy Hotel has a new deadline of July 31st to finally show that the funding needed to start the project is in place?…that this dog chases tail dance never seems to end and has run on for over 4 years now unfunded and unstarted?…that it may just be true that the end value of the proposed work will not support the cost to do the work?…that the only way to get something done with the McCurdy is to raise the property values in downtown Evansville?…that as long as a 90 room hotel right next door only commands a bid of $350,000 and a 40,000 square foot building is listed for sale at $150,000 that the probability of convincing a lending institution to loan out $9 Million against a fixed up McCurdy is very low?…that all eyes will be on the McCurdy during July?…that in 36 days we will know if there is a new deadline or a search for a new developer on the horizon?

IS IT TRUE that the deadline of the week for the last week of June is the deadline for the Woodruff Hospitality LLC to perform under the term of the agreement to construct a Hyatt Place hotel by “closing” the financing?…that it is alleged that there are two factions within Woodruff Hospitality LLC that are not getting along very well?…that it has been reported that two groups have commitments from lenders to enable either of them to go forward but that administrative details are in the way?…that the countdown clock until we may have no agreement in place to construct a downtown hotel is now at 5 days and counting?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has already approved issuing a new Request for Proposal for the hotel project?…that the expectation is that if a $30 Million rabbit is not pulled out of a hat by Thursday June 30th that the new RFP will go out on July 5th?…that the RFP will require that bids are submitted by July 19th?…that such a short time window to respond essentially eliminates any interested parties other than the ones that are already involved to put a bid together?…that going back to the original RFP and allowing a longer response time to say 45 days will create an opportunity for real outside interests to be developed…that opening the bid up completely will also allow the clock to be reset so that the financial plan can be based on economic reality?…that the best plan is to set the clock back to October of 2010 and pretend the entire process that was devoid of vetting and poorly executed to be corrected this time?

IS IT TRUE that SMG really pulled a rabbit out of a hat to get Kenny Chesney to come back to Roberts Stadium after the City of Evansville had recommended that it be mothballed?…that the average ticket price is about $65 and that 9,000 people are expected to attend?…that if the Jehovah’s Witnesses had a $3.5 Million economic impact on the area that we wonder how much the Convention and Visitors Bureau would estimate a sold out concert impacts the City of Evansville?…that the tickets sales and fees alone for the Kenny Chesney concert will exceed $600,000?…that most of these people will hit the concession stand, buy a shirt, eat out before the show etc. and spend even more money?…that we expect that the economic impact of this event will be over $1 Million?…that this is the same Roberts Stadium that “can’t host big name acts and is falling apart” according to local government officials?…that those who wish to give Roberts Stadium a chance only need an event like this per month to cover the costs?…that the hubbub over Roberts needs to be addressed and needs to have a deadline like the other projects in town?

IS IT TRUE that the powers that be are on record as saying that the new Arena is fully booked on weekends AND that Roberts needs to be torn down so it does not compete with the new Arena?…that this is talking out of both sides of one’s mouth?…that both statements cannot possibly be true?…that since there is no contract with VenuWorks that it is most certain that the fully booked statement is simple puffery and is not true?…that we also wonder how the entire inventory of skyboxes were sold without any authority to price them or sell them?…that the only way that could have happened is if VenuWorks is not in charge of selling the skyboxes?…that if VenuWorks enters into any contracts of over one year that their TEMPORARY AGREEMENT requires ERC approval?…that the public record shows no ERC approval for the sale of skyboxes?…that we wonder if that is all puffery too?