Not all referenda are bad, but we know a railroad job when we see it. And who's speaking "for" you in this "discussion?" The views I see here don't purport to "speak" for anyone but the writer, who may happen to disagree with your assertions over the value of baseball and the Twins vs. the crying needs of the people of this state beyond the whining professional sports community. OK, build your stadium, but not with public assets assuring private profit.
And why should you people as a minority of stadium supporters prevail without proving your side is adequately supported. If you wish to contribute to private business, do so, but it is arrogant in the extreme to expect the public trough to feed the voracious appetite of the money-changers who field millionaire children as entertainment, diverting real resources from real needs to those who wallow in luxury as we speak. And the economics have proven elsewhere (including at the Hump) that catalytic development never really follows the public's investment ion private corporations, especially sports stadia. And why would anyone want to play or watch baseball in a cloud of burning garbage? Twisted values if ever I've seen them. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -- The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men: Plato "Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity." - Lord Acton -- Visit our weblog: http://newswired.blogspot.com > From: David Greene <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 12:03:51 -0500 > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Mpls] Re: stadium > > Leurquin, Ronald wrote: >> Dean makes some good points about a referendum. > > Referendums are bad government. They give the loudest voice (i.e. those > with money) a disproportionate say in important government decisions. > We elect representatives to make _informed_ decisions for us. When > they abdicate that responsibility, they lesson oour representative > democracy. > >> I have said NO and will continue to say NO to any form of taxpayer funded >> stadium. > > How, then, would you propose to fund a stadium. Either we put in some > public money or we lose the Twins. Maybe you don't care about that, and > that's fine, but don't presume to speak for those of us who see baseball > as a real asset. > >> Last week I asked the forum what we gain from building a new stadium that >> we do not now have? > > It's quite simple. The ballpark will anchor downtown. It will give > people outside the city a reason to visit. I really don't care all > that much if the Vikings move to the 'burbs. It's a total of eight > games over the whole year. Baseball is a whole other story. A > ballpark downtown will ensure its continued vitality. > > Have you investigated the city's plans for the North Loop and Downtown > East neighborhoods in the presence of a new Twin stadium and a vacating > of the dome? Here's a link: > > http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/master-plans/downtown-east-north-loop/ > > The land use plan is here: > > http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/master-plans/downtown-east-north-loop/chapter_ > 4.asp#TopOfPage > > Pay particularly close attention to the sections on the Metrodome Site, > Freeway West and The Cut. This is a _fantastic_ plan that includes > decking over the I-394 trenchway and reconnecting the downtown grid. > This all becomes much less feasible without a ballpark to anchor the > whole project. > > The ballpark will sit at the terminus of four major public > transportation corridors (five if you count Central Corridor). > One couldn't ask for a better site. In addition to providing > a respectable venue for baseball, it will be a strong motivator > to build out the public transportation plan that has been sitting > at the Met Council since 2000. > > David Greene > The Wedge REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
