Here is the critical quote from the Strib article:
"You do something for us, private sector, and we'll (the city) do something
for you."
It doesn't make any difference if it is cash, TIF financing, land, or some
other transaction. Our city hall is determined to get a new stadium, by
giving the wealthy private sector our precious community resources. I think
the critical quote should be:
"Ask not what Minneapolis can do for you, but what you can do for
Minneapolis."
That is the kind of new leadership we need downtown.
Russell W. Peterson
Ward 9
Standish
R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N
"You can only fly if you stretch your wings."
Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID
Founder
3857 23rd Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-724-2331
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Gary C Bowman, Jr
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 8:56 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Another stadium scheme
As I was working OT overnight last night, I had the opportunity to read
today's Strib. Once again, we have another stadium scheme. This one takes
a little different approach and I'll let you each read the story for
yourselves (Sorry, being up all night leaves me a little too tired to do
much recapping).
Here again we have select members of the Council and a Mayor who are
absolutely obstinate and unwilling to hear their constituents who have said
repeatedly NO to public outlays to a stadium. I must say that I find it
immensely sad and frustrating that a DFL Council and DFL Mayor are
continually pushing to take resources out of public hands (say working and
middle class peoples hands) and put it into the hands of the immensely
wealthy. The questions I have asked before and will ask again of the
business community are these: You say that government should stay out of the
private market. Why now the big turnaround? Are you going to admit that
you don't mind government intervention as long as you are the beneficiary?
Furthermore, common sense tells me that if accomplished businesspeople are
unwilling to step up to the plate (excuse the pun) to pay for this in its
entireity, then why should the clods in government expect to do any better?
Obviously, if businesspeople won't in!
!
vest in this project, it's a questionable one- at best.
I also found it interesting that New Ballpark, Inc. who is pushing the
latest stadium schemes and has argued for a smaller stadium that blends more
into a neighborhood (in theory something like Wrigley Stadium) earlier this
year was talking about a $150 million stadium (if memory serves me correct).
Now, in today's article, that number is ballooning to $260-300 million.
Should we have any doubt in our minds that with these little changes we will
also see changes in how this will go from "mostly privately financed" to
something much different?
The newest approach to financing a stadium is exactly that, a new approach.
However, this new approach still smacks of being nothing more than a shell
game to get the public to pay for something businesspeople should be paying
for.
Off the topic but included in the article in the paper was the announcement
that Lisa McDonald is running for Mayor and has also been a staunch critic
of public stadium schemes. Get me a lawnsign, Lisa!
Gary Bowman, Jr.
Ward 1-Audubon Park
Gary Bowman, Jr.
Ward 1-Aububon Park
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