Stafford states: I would like to second Gary's post regarding what he would or would not support in regards to a sports stadium. Gary's position has been entirely consistent!
EY: I think it has not -- and is very similar to RT Rybak's position. Although, before the election, it was clear to the voters that Schiff supported some sort of stadium boondoggle er plan. RT on the other hand, cynically used this issue against his opponents, and immediately broke his promise to the voters on this one. Stafford continues: This is from someone who did not support Gary for DFL-endorsement!!! =========================================== EY: Wasn't that because Schiff supported Nader for president? Roxana Orrell writes: The claims that businesses benefit so much from sports in the city are a crock. Just watch traffic in and out of the city when there is a game on. There is a huge, last-minute rush to get into the city and find parking. (Tying up streets for Mpls residents and businesses, and subjecting people with a real reason to be downtown to excessive "event parking" fees.) There's a pedestrian rush from the parking areas to the stadium. (Snarling up traffic for people who just want to get in and out, since sports fans think that traffic lights don't count for them because they're so special to be coming in to watch the game.) The fans pack into the stadium, and then a couple of hours later the whole pattern is reversed. If there was any money to be made from the fans for Mpls businesses, there would be all kinds of restaurants and shops around the Dome, and on the way to it from the parking garages. Those businesses ain't there. Back in the 80s, there was a flurry of speculation in land and buildings near the Dome because the Dome's proponents claimed that there would be huge business to be had nearby. Here we are, 20 years later, with NOTHING near the stadium. People working in that area have a hard time getting lunch within a few blocks. Why? Because those who tried to make a go of a business in a fan area quickly lost their shirts. =============================== EY: Well said Roxana. I work near the dome and there are very few lunch places within a good walking distance from work. Game day traffic makes my commute home much more stressful -- and there is no avoiding that area. I'm sure that Labor twisted arms in a major way on this with the Minneapolis Delegation. The Senate bill -- which at this point is going nowhere with the Governor's plan -- was unanamously or almost unanamously supported by the Minneapolis Delegation. On the stadium issue, Robert Lilligren is being refreshingly independent of labor. Eva Eva Young Central Neighborhood Minneapolis _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
