The Roberts Stadium Trial Is Following The Script Of The Film "12 Angry Men"

When I first started the campaign to save Roberts Stadium, I pegged the odds at that time of being 5-10% that city government would give Roberts Stadium a fair chance. Everything, and I mean everything, was going against us. The ball fields plan was being marketed as the "green" thing to do, demolition supporters were lying to the public about Roberts Stadium's condition, and the previous mayor's administration had plenty of allies in high ranking positions to make the public believe that it was a fact, not an opinion, that Roberts Stadium was past its time.

For those who have not seen the film 12 Angry Men, please take the time (96 minutes and 22 seconds) to watch the film before we move along with this post. Please make sure you watch the film before moving along with this post as the film is the only way you will truly grasp the meaning of what I'm conveying to you in this post. You won't regret watching it, it's that good...

As you saw in the film, the murder trial appeared to be a slam dunk (pun intended) at the beginning that the boy was guilty of murdering his father. The evidence appeared to be overwhelmingly in favor of guilty, and the last thing that 11 of the 12 jurors wanted to do was to discuss the case for even a minute. If it wasn't for the 1 juror who refused to take the evidence at face value, the jury wouldn't have taken a serious look at the evidence that was perceived to be "obvious."

But as the film moves along, the entire jury, one-by-one, begins to take a deeper look at the evidence and realizes that they would be making a mistake convicting the boy of the crime. Eventually, all jurors realize that voting not-guilty is the correct decision.

If you've been following the Roberts Stadium debate since the beginning, you will see that the trial that Roberts Stadium has been put on is going exactly like the film. So far, the script is playing out like this...

- The trial started out with the previous ECVB and Parks Dept declaring Roberts Stadium to be "functionally obsolete." This was followed up by David Dunn writing into the Courier & Press with an estimate of $500,000 a year to maintain the Roberts Stadium property.

- These statements were then backed up by the previous mayor who then declared that no one was interested in Roberts Stadium and cited costs of several million dollars (it went as low as $39 million and as high as $90 million) to keep the venue.

- At this point, very few residents were prepared to stand in front of city hall who was barrelling down on Roberts Stadium. The only groups that were united in opposition to Roberts Stadium simply wanted a park on the lot instead of 8 ball fields...

http://www.14news.com/story/13313475/new-sports-complex-gets-its-first-hit?clienttype=printable

- By this point, I was fortunate to have had this blog up and running for a few months. That's when things began to change. This blog came out with its opposition to demolishing Roberts Stadium AND proposed an alternative site for the ball fields.

- Once this happened, you could see that momentum was very slowly beginning to creep over to Roberts Stadium's side. While the vast majority of residents still rejected the notion that something could be done with Roberts Stadium, a few residents began to look at the notion of giving Roberts Stadium a fair trial. At this point, the Wesselman Park Support Group, the neighbors of Roberts Stadium, and those opposed to the ball fields all joined forces with Save Roberts Stadium.

- Then, I released a post that dealt with the REAL interpretation of the HNTB and Gateway Consultants report...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2010/12/hntb-existing-roberts-stadium-building.html

I followed this up with a video on the City-County Observer...

http://city-countyobserver.com/2011/01/14/video-tribute-to-roberts-stadium-by-jordan-baer/

After these two posts made its way around town, several residents began rethinking their belief about Roberts Stadium. Around that time, the ball fields project officially died. This was followed up with the previous ECVB racking up a $2,000 alcohol bill at Biaggi's and then resigning because of it.

- At this point, we were rolling along pretty well but we still needed to bring more residents and city leaders to our side for this to happen.

- Then, while filming the show Newsmakers, I met with Rick Davis who officially became the first political candidate to endorse saving Roberts Stadium...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-mayoral-candidate-rick-davis.html

- Rick Davis got the ball rolling for other political candidates to come on board. In all, over 11 candidates took the pledge to save Roberts Stadium. Seeing that defeat was imminent, Mayor Weinzapfel officially announced that he would not seek a third term as mayor and handed Roberts Stadium to the next mayor who would later become Lloyd Winnecke.

- With the previous administration out of the equation, a large percentage of the public was ready to come over to Roberts Stadium's side. They started realizing that there indeed was hope for the legendary venue and they began to see that what the previous administration was doing was nothing but smoke and mirrors. Still though, there were still a few residents who believed that Roberts Stadium was beyond repair.

- At the first public hearing last week, there were still a few who thought that Roberts Stadium would have to be demolished in order for things like a green space to prosper and for the rest of the city to enjoy progress.

But when the USI basketball situation, the amount of tenants that can be satisfied with a mid-sized venue, the fact that Roberts Stadium and the Ford Center will NEVER compete with each other, and the belief that a master plan which would be designed to address those who want to save Roberts Stadium, construct a green space, build a natatorium/fix Hartke Pool, and bring a BMX Park to the complex while making financial sense if we space the projects out and construct the complex like pieces to a puzzle. That is when a significant amount of people realized that they too should be on the Roberts Stadium side.

- This past Saturday, demolition supporters were dealt a huge setback when the public was allowed to tour the facility shortly before a public discussion about what to do with the facility. Early on, demolition supporters such as Building Authority director Dave Rector thought the tour would gain momentum for them, they were wrong. The public FINALLY got to see the real Roberts Stadium, they finally got to see its potential, and they finally got to see that those in the media who want to demolish Roberts Stadium were completely misleading the public. Now, demolition supporters are running for the hills.

To complete the Robert Stadium Trial story, all that is needed is for one more public hearing, the task force to finish up the research, and for Mayor Winnecke to make the bold and correct decision of keeping Roberts Stadium. I'm confident, more than I ever have been, that he will make this decision and the vast majority of the public will look upon him favorably for doing it.

Going back to the film 12 Angry Men, you will see that the jurors represent the different factions of our Roberts Stadium story as well. For instance...

The juror who kept wanting to leave to go to the ballgame



This juror represents those who supported the ball fields project. They didn't want to hear anything about Roberts Stadium, all they wanted to do was build the ball fields. Once they began to step back and realize that there are better sites for the ball fields, they slowly began to come over to Roberts Stadium's side.

The juror who wasn't convinced until the red spots from his glasses were pointed out



This juror represents those who look at Roberts Stadium from a financial standpoint only. At the beginning, they were very adamant that it made no financial sense to save Roberts Stadium. They then began to dig themselves into this stance by looking at frivolous things such as a water pump break or a minor water leak. It wasn't until these costs were compared to the potential revenues from Roberts Stadium and the costs of building and maintaining another park did this group begin to realize that saving Roberts Stadium was a good idea.

The juror who was irritated at the other jurors for considering a not-guilty verdict.



This juror represents those in the public who take what they read at face value. Many of them get up, read the newspaper, and then regurgitate whatever they read. As a result, they found it absolutely ridiculous for anyone to suggest that Roberts Stadium be saved. They have a tendency to believe everything that is said by media sources that are deemed to be trusted and reliable while always rejecting anything that goes against these media outlets' beliefs. After Saturday, this juror has officially moved to our side after seeing Roberts Stadium himself.

The jury foreman



This juror represents Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. He was committed from the start to making sure that Roberts Stadium was dealt with in a methodical and fair way although he probably leaned towards demolition initially. Then, when conflict arose he still remained true to the process although his initial belief may not have changed. But as the conflict began to tilt towards the Roberts Stadium side, Lloyd soon realized that his methodical and fair process had paid off and that the real Roberts Stadium was coming to the surface. In the end, I am VERY confident that he will do what the jury foreman did and vote not-guilty with the rest.

The second juror to vote not-guilty



This juror represents the vast majority of the public. Initially, they were skeptical of Roberts Stadium and thought demolition was the best option. But after seeing what those who stood up for Roberts Stadium had to say, they became the next people to stand up and fight for Roberts Stadium. This juror group has been on our side for quite some time now, and they are only getting stronger in their belief that Roberts Stadium should be here to stay.

The juror who kept laughing at the situation



This juror represents those who follow the Roberts Stadium Trial from a far and don't really put much effort into it other than to joke and ridicule the situation. You can identify these types of people by hearing them talk about putting a lake inside Roberts Stadium, relating Roberts Stadium to another political disaster, or proposing other far fetched solutions for the building. Starting out, this juror really didn't take Roberts Stadium seriously and still doesn't for the most part. What this juror is starting to realize is that there is hope for Roberts Stadium and that perhaps the joke may be on them.

The only juror who refused to vote guilty from the start



This juror represents me and anyone else who refused to go along with the notion that Roberts Stadium should be demolished from the beginning. If it wasn't for this juror, Roberts Stadium would be like the boy in the film, it would have already been put to death for a crime it did not commit. Hopefully, when everything is said and done, we will be successful like this juror was in the film.

The last juror to vote not-guilty



Most definitely, this juror represents the Courier & Press, the Weinzapfel administration, and their followers. They have been convinced since day 1 that Roberts Stadium must be demolished. No matter what you tell them, they will still refuse to give Roberts Stadium even an ounce of consideration. Now that the whole city is against them, they will still remain true to demolition for a while, but in the end, as the truth comes crashing down on them, they will break down emotionally and concede that Roberts Stadium must be saved.

The rest of the jury



These jurors represent special interest groups who have only taken an interest in the Roberts Stadium situation. They had long believed that Roberts Stadium must be demolished in order for their groups to prosper. However, once it was brought to their attention that everyone can win with the Roberts Stadium complex, while no one wins once Roberts Stadium is demolished, they have suddenly had a change of heart and are willing to embrace Roberts Stadium. In the end, these jurors will realize that Roberts Stadium must be saved for the best interests of everyone.

The boy on trial



Obviously, this represents Roberts Stadium. With the weight of the whole world upon him, the boy looks sadly upon the jury to realize that he is not guilty of the accused crime. He looks upon them with a saddened look of despair as he realizes that only one juror is on his side initially, and it will be up to this one juror to get the right thing done.

In the end, the jury made the right decision. After all of the evidence was thoroughly evaluated, all 12 jurors came to the verdict of not-guilty. They walk out of the courthouse and down the steps knowing they made the right decision. Let's hope that when our 15 member task force is done with its work and Mayor Winnecke has made his decision, the same verdict is returned...

The Public Finally Got To Meet The Real Roberts Stadium & They LOVE IT!

Of all the meetings, research, and fact finding missions I have gone on in the past 18 months to save Roberts Stadium, none of these events were bigger than today. Today was THE day that Roberts Stadium had to come up big for us and boy did she deliver for us.

For our 2nd of 3 public listening sessions, our Roberts Stadium Task Force decided to host the event at the arena itself. I'm very thankful for this opportunity because I knew the public would finally get to see the real Roberts Stadium that those who support demolishing Roberts Stadium don't want you to see.

At roughly 10 A.M we began our tour of Roberts Stadium before our meeting. I'm sure those who support demolition will try to spin it off that no one showed up, but I am more than satisfied with the amount of people that showed up...

Right off the bat, you could tell that chief demolition supporter Dave Rector of the Evansville Vanderburgh Building Authority was going to do everything he could to make Roberts Stadium look bad. Indeed, that was his plan from start to finish. The last thing on his mind was showing us the great attributes of this building. It is very easy to see why those who followed him on previous tours such as politicians, media members, and any one else was led astray by his theatrics.

The great thing about today was that the public finally got to see Rector's true colors and THEY DIDN'T BUY IT AT ALL. First, Rector showed us a puddle of water and claimed it was from a massive water leak that the Courier & Press has ran to every single time they went inside the building (I sure hope they are changing their ways).

Mr. Greg Stillwell of the task force asked one of the workers (I'm not going to name names because I don't want this worker to get in trouble) how much it would cost to fix this leak. The worker replied,"It's only about $1,000 but we were told not to fix it." Demolition supporters want you to pay anywhere from $200,000 to $1.25 million to knock down a building that is estimated to be worth $10 million to $20 million over a $1,000 water leak. That sums up best their intentions.

Next, Rector took us to the far edge of Gate 2 and pointed to some tiles that had fallen through and were damaged. These tiles were less than a foot from the entrance to the door and could be replaced for less money than it would cost to repair the water leak. By this time, the public had quickly gathered what kind of tour they were on and began walking around Roberts Stadium on their own.

The public deciding to take their own guided tour proved to be good news for Rector as he was already out of damages to show. His next step was to show us.... gasp... THE WATER PUMPS! The funny thing about showing us the water pumps is this...

1. They were running just fine.
2. They won't even be in Roberts Stadium if the correct step of raising the floor is done.
3. They have already proven to be under budget anyways. Rector told us that mothballing Roberts Stadium for $300,000 a year was a conservative estimate. Already, Roberts Stadium is scheduled to fall over $67,000 UNDER that estimate.

Before I show you the real Roberts Stadium, I want to make sure that everyone realizes that the public did not buy into Roberts Stadium being beyond repair. Three instances proved this...

1. As I was walking up the stairs to the main level, I followed two ladies and a gentleman who said, "I know Dave Rector sees this stadium differently than us but I just don't see any reason to tear this place down."

2. As I was sitting in on one of the group discussions about Roberts Stadium, a lady said, "This place was built to last and that is exactly what it's doing." This was followed up by another lady saying, "You see this room (the conference room), you can't possibly convince me that this needs to be demolished or isn't needed."

3. As I was leaving the meeting, a gentleman pulled his car beside me in the parking lot and said the following, "I know you're on this committee so can you please help me out? The man who was leading this tour. What's his deal? All he did was complain about small things. What's his agenda?"

To those who weren't able to make it to the meeting today, I want you to see the real Roberts Stadium before I dive into the meeting itself because I want you to understand why those who attended today's meeting feel so strongly about Roberts Stadium being a perfectly healthy building.

Note: Some of these photos are a little blurry or dark. I have a new camera and am still trying to break it in. I apologize in advance.

First, let's start with the bathrooms that many demolition supporters have complained about being beyond repair. Aside from the fact that you almost always gut a bathroom instead of tearing your whole house down, the bathrooms at Roberts Stadium were in much better shape than even I thought...



These bathrooms weren't just clean, they were sparkling. I could see my reflection in the sinks...




Also, thanks to Chief of Staff Director Steve Schaeffer, Dave Rector finally removed the graffiti from the windows...

We owe Steve a HUGE thank you!

And then there's the bowl area itself. I don't believe that even the most dedicated supporter of demolition could argue against it being in great condition...



Honestly, is there any seats in the bowl area that are damaged? Could the concrete be any more smooth in the playing area and steps?






Next, I went to the visiting team's locker room. Keep in mind, since only visiting teams use this room, nothing luxurious is suppose to be in there (home court advantage). Yet this locker room was in far better shape than the ones I visited at Madison Square Garden, The Air Canada Centre, and The Palace of Auburn Hills...



While we're by the locker room area, let's take a look at the dock area. Although these pictures came out very dark and blurry, you can still see that this area is in great shape and can transport any vehicle into the middle of the arena with the greatest of ease...

(Note: A few other task force members reported to me that they viewed the Central Plant system and it was in tip-top shape!)







One of the places that grabbed the attention of today's audience was the meeting rooms where we discussed Roberts Stadium. As you can see from the pictures, this room, which is two rooms combined, looks exactly like The Centre (No, they will not compete with each other)...







The tiles on the roof in these rooms are all healthy as well...



Let's not forget the main level walkways. These areas have taken a lot of heat from demolition supporters, yet if you look at these pictures you will see that there is nothing wrong with them, they will make for great areas to display our history, and they are rather clean as well...







And now, let's take a look at my FAVORITE spot in Roberts Stadium. Certainly, you will never see those who support demolition showing you pictures of these locker rooms. The entrance sign on the door sums up my feelings about Roberts Stadium...



As you look at these pictures, try to imagine what these locker rooms could do for USI and/or the Evansville Rage...









It is unbelievable how nice those locker rooms are. We owe it to USI, their alumni, and their boosters to work on bringing them into Roberts Stadium.

So, how did the meeting go?

The meeting went well for the most part. As usual, USI and Evansville Rage indoor football were mentioned several times. This time though, we outnumbered demolition supporters 90-10 easily.

Before we broke into groups, task force member Greg Stillwell addressed the crowd by saying, "If our task force isn't successful, this will be the last time you will be in Roberts Stadium."

First of all, I want to say thank you to Greg for saying this. As Dave Rector printed off maintenance balance sheets that were clearly skewed and biased, Greg Stillwell said what needed to be said. He put into words just how important our task is.

Unfortunately, several citizens took this the wrong way. They interpreted this statement to mean that the decision on Roberts Stadium has already been made and it's demolition. They also suggested that Larry Steenberg didn't belong on the task force.

Let me be VERY clear, this task force is not a dog and pony show. The decision has not been made. All 15 members of the task force take their task very seriously and are giving Roberts Stadium her due.

Also, I want to say that I am behind Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, task force director Larry Steenberg, and the rest of the task force 110%. I have put a lot of time and money into saving Roberts Stadium these past 18 months. I would not be on the task force if I thought it wasn't serious about Roberts Stadium.

Mayor Winnecke has given me an opportunity I could only have dreamed about. I have always dreamed as a kid that I would have the opportunity to save a sports venue. Mayor Winnecke has now given me that chance. Furthermore, he has ALWAYS listened to my ideas, my goals, and my vision for Roberts Stadium. I am truly grateful to him for that. Remember, Mayor Winnecke didn't have to form this task force, but he did it anyway!

On a side note, Mayor Winnecke's hiring of Steve Schaefer, Russ Lloyd Jr., and Denise Johnson are all great hires that will pay huge dividends for our city for many years to come!

As you read the post below this one, you will see that we all can win. You will also see that I am committed to making the area around Roberts Stadium a place where the swimming, biking, and green space community can all enjoy as well. Lastly, I am committed to making Roberts Stadium compliment, not compete, with the Ford Center.

Thank you to all those who came out and supported Roberts Stadium and I will see you @ The Centre this coming Wednesday!

Post Public Hearing #1 Thoughts

The rain was forming lakes and streams in the roadways, the Icemen were battling for first place, and UNOE was having another important meeting. Even with all of those events taking place simultaneously, our Roberts Stadium Task Force drew just the right number of people we were looking for.

At last night's first meeting, it was estimated that over 40 people attended. I am very satisfied with that amount of people as I remember back when just the city was hosting meetings over just the idea of building an arena less than 20 people showed up. I also believe that we had just the right amount of people to have a serious and fair debate that we would not have had if a mob would have showed up.

First of all, before I begin diving into the meeting, I want to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Chief of Staff Director Steve Schaefer. Last night at the mayor's traveling town hall, I asked Steve if he could look into getting the graffiti taken off of Roberts Stadium before the meeting Saturday.

For those who don't know, a Chief of Staff is one of the busiest jobs in the city. I would venture to say that Steve may be just as busy as the mayor. Yet, even with all of the work he has to do, Steve still took time out of his busy schedule to contact the people who were in charge of removing the graffiti at Roberts Stadium. By mid-afternoon yesterday, THE GRAFFITI HAS BEEN REMOVED.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to Steve for taking care of this issue. This proves to me, and it should prove to you as well, that the current administration does care about Roberts Stadium. So, if you pass by Steve in the next few days, make sure you thank him. I am thoroughly impressed with the administration Mayor Winnecke has assembled around him.

Also, I do want to add something else before we begin. Reading today's Courier & Press article on the Roberts Stadium Task Force, I would like to say MUCH BETTER Courier & Press. This article was fair and balanced. I hope this article is the start of them giving Roberts Stadium a chance as well!

With all of that being said, let's dive into the meeting....

As usual, about 70% of those that attended came with ideas for Roberts Stadium while the other 30% came with the "green space or park" idea. My main concern with those who want to tear down Roberts Stadium is that they obviously don't understand most of the aspects of the situation. For example...

1. We kept getting that "compete with the Ford Center" line. When I mentioned that Roberts Stadium has 1/3rd the rigging capacity of the Ford Center and would have 3,000-4,000 less seats than the Ford Center if it was scaled down to a mid-sized arena, they started changing their mind. When I named the tenants that would go into Roberts Stadium, they realized that NONE of them are Ford Center material. I then reassured them that we should put a "Right of First Refusal" clause in Roberts Stadium's contract. This would eliminate this debate entirely. After that, we didn't hear a word about the competition issue.

2. We kept getting that "Expand Wesselman Woods" line as well. Green space and park supporters don't realize the size and scope of the land. I made it very clear that the back lot was plenty big enough for this type of nature project without involving Roberts Stadium. I reminded them that Wesselman Woods is an old-growth nature preserve with 300 + year old trees. You cannot "expand Wesselman Woods." If you put new growth trees there, their seedlings would affect and hurt the current nature preserve. For this reason, I suggested a lake go in the back lot (a lake was popular among those who wanted something green).

The most important thing to remember in the Roberts Stadium debate is that Roberts Stadium has the potential to bring back the lost SMG jobs AND stabilize the businesses around it that lost revenue when it closed. A greenspace does none of that.

3. The most important victory to me last night was that all 4 groups (the crowd was broken down into these groups) mentioned that they want a multi-purpose facility AND they want USI out there. Never in the history of Evansville has there been such an outcry for USI basketball to be upgraded. Remember, it took three times for the city to build the Ford Center- Once in 1989, once in 1998, and then in 2009. The previous two tries involved USI. It should be very obvious to anyone following this situation that a multi-purpose facility where ALL OF OUR IDEAS can go is best for Roberts Stadium and USI should be our main anchor tenant.

4. All of the citizens that were in my group agreed that the correct strategy that needs to be implemented is an overall comprehensive master plan. It is my belief that we ALL can win in this situation if we work together. I will be talking about this at the bottom of this post.

5. Leadership Evansville did a wonderful job last night leading the debates. The two members that were in my group did an excellent job of grabbing the key points and building off of them. I would like thank them as well for taking time out of their schedule to help us gather these ideas.

Overall, I am still 110% convinced that we can all win and that Roberts Stadium itself must be downsized to a mid-sized arena. I am also extremely satisfied with the meeting last night.



(click to enlarge)

Note: This is a master plan and should not be built all at once!

Looking at the layout you will see the following benefits.

1. Those who wanted something green will get that in the back lot. They get their lake (which is unique in that it's shaped like a triangle) and they also get their Greenway connection route to the State Hospital grounds.

2. Those who want a natatorium get their wish as we kill two birds with one stone. It just doesn't make sense to convert Roberts Stadium into a natatorium when we would have to turn right back around and renovate Hartke Pool. Let's address the natatorium and indoor water park resort when we have the funds to address Hartke Pool. Furthermore, bringing on an investor for an indoor water park resort would make the plan cheaper and give our complex a small hotel.

3. Those who want a designated skate park get their facility in the northern lot. Keep in mind, this facility is important in attracting BMX tournaments to our mid-sized Roberts Stadium. As I talked about in the article about Portland, Oregon, two different sized facilities are what BMX tournaments look for. If the skate park is located adjacent to Roberts Stadium this will be a slam dunk for any bid we place for a tournament. This facility should be built in cooperation with investors who are wanting to go into Roberts Stadium anyways.

4. The southern parking lot is maintained but scaled back so that its environmental impact is reduced. It's also scaled back because a 5,000-6,000 seat Roberts Stadium does not need 4,000 parking spaces anymore. This will also help our budget as we will not have to provide maintenance for a gigantic parking lot anymore. This parking lot shall serve as a shuttle stop for events to the Ford Center as well.

5. Most importantly, Roberts Stadium is a mid-sized, multi-purpose event. Those who want travelling BMX tournaments get their wish. Those who want indoor football, minor league basketball, USI basketball, indoor lacrosse, inline skating, mid-sized concerts, high school basketball, small trade shows, indoor soccer, youth sports tournaments, and college basketball tournaments that would be a package deal with the Ford Center get their wish.

Not only would we finally have a place for all of these types of events, we would also be enjoying intangible benefits such as having Roberts Stadium as a disaster relief area, using the main level as an indoor Greenway on non-event days, and using its smaller parking lot to shuttle patrons to the Ford Center.

6. There is case law for this type of layout. It's Portland, Oregon: http://www.pdxactionsports.com/

Why is this the best path financially?

1. We just need to raise the floor, replace the Central Plant, and make the cosmetic renovations to Roberts Stadium to open our city up to all of the above revenue generating sports (mainly USI). The revenue from these events will pay for Roberts Stadium many times over.

2. The additional revenue from Roberts Stadium will be used to take care of the lake and park behind the facility.

3. The skate park will be built as a joint venture between the public and private sector so that very little public funds are used.

4. The renovation price tag for Hartke Pool can be addressed better by killing multiple birds with one stone.

5. The indirect benefits such as business for Kipplee's, Turnoni's, and Western Rib-Eye are maximized.

To those who braved the weather and missed out on other events to come to last night's meeting- Thank you. Now, the next stop is the iconic and legendary confines of Roberts Stadium.

SEE YOU AT ROBERTS STADIUM!

As Roberts Stadium Comes Under Budget, The Courier & Press Catches Yellow Journalism Fever

http://barbaracolebythesea.com/2009/06/20/heres-the-scoopyellow-journalism/

You can sure tell that they are sweating bullets down at the offices of the Evansville Courier & Press. After a year and a half of seeking to destroy a perfectly healthy building that was built with the blood, sweat, and tears of our community, the C&P has entered desperation mode.

Truthfully, no one knows why the C&P is hellbent on demolishing Roberts Stadium nor does anyone know when the fallout between the two began. Some have suspected that it's because the Courier & Press didn't want to anger the Weinzapfel administration. Indeed, the C&P took a lot of heat when they reported on the past ECVB Christmas party. Others have suspected that it's because they don't want to be seen as a renegade newspaper. The C&P would anger quite a few city hall officials by doing the right thing in standing up for Roberts Stadium.

One thing we do know- the C&P will do whatever it takes to get Roberts Stadium demolished. First, they came out in support of the ball fields project even though this project would have cost $17.5 million. Then, when the ECVB let them down, they began writing editorials praising the Weinzapfel administration for exploring the project.

Then, who could forget the stunt Carolyn Franklin from the Home Show pulled back in 2010...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2010/10/something-they-dont-want-you-to-know.html

Now, with the public fully against demolishing Roberts Stadium, the C&P has caught Yellow Journalism Fever. What are the signs of Yellow Journalism Fever?...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

1. scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
2. lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
3. use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudo-science, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
4. emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
5. dramatic sympathy with the "underdog" against the system

There's no doubt that the C&P has Yellow Journalism Fever. To pull off their mission of demolishing Roberts Stadium, they have been teamed up with Building Authority director Dave Rector for some time. When a $3,000 water pump broke before the election, the C&P was Johnny-On-The-Spot telling us about the break (yet no mention of how much maintenance for a park would cost on the lot).

This past week, the C&P gave us one of their biggest Yellow Journalism pieces to date. Before we dive into the article, strict codes and regulations require me to notify you any time I quote an article with the C&P and Dave Rector in it...

Let's take a look at the article...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/jan/22/no-headline---ev_robertsstadium/?partner=popular

"Maintaining Roberts, which was mothballed on Sept. 18, has already rung up a tab of $73,332, as of Jan. 11, according to data provided by City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr."

Here's the funny thing about this article. The whole time the C&P was telling us about the doom and gloom of Roberts Stadium, their research just proved they and the rest of those who support demolition were wrong about the annual estimate to mothball Roberts Stadium. Let's do the math...

-From Sept 18th to January 11 is 115 days.

- $73,332 divided by 115 is approx $637.67 a day.

- To complete the yearly cycle, we will need to add 250 days.

- 250 days times $637.67 a day is $159,417.50.

- To get a yearly estimate we must add $73,332 and $159,417.50 to get a grand total of $232,749.50

Remember when the Courier & Press ran this article?...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/jul/30/cost-of-roberts/?partner=RSS

"And until the next city administration decides what to do with Roberts Stadium, about $300,000 a year will be spent to keep it on life support.

And that, Rector said, is a conservative estimate.

"Let just say I was optimistic when you hear the number of $300,000," Rector said. "Any building needs constant upkeep. When it comes to Roberts, I think we're up for some serious challenges."

Remember when David Dunn said this?...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jun/20/special-report-evansville-parks-department-isnt/

"For the fields to be built at Wesselman, research conducted by Dunn and others suggests an operating cost of between $300,000 and $500,000 a year, he said."

And remember when Dunn said this about Roberts Stadium?...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/sep/05/visitors-bureau-addresses-ballpark-plan/

"Roberts Stadium will be vacant by the end of 2011. If The Park plan is not approved, it will cost property taxpayers an estimated $500,000 a year to maintain that vacant property, or more than $1 million to tear it down.

In an August 22, 2010, column in this newspaper, Courier & Press Editor Mizell Stewart III wrote of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, spending $800,000 in tax dollars to tear down its old stadium after it sat vacant for more than six years and fell into disrepair. The Park plan offers an opportunity to avoid that scenario here.''

If we put the total derived from the Courier & Press together with the following quotes we know the following...

- Roberts Stadium is $67,250.50 under the estimate the C&P gathered to mothball Roberts Stadium each year which was called "conservative" by Dave Rector.

-Roberts Stadium is $267,250.50 under the estimate David Dunn gave us to maintain the property.

- Roberts Stadium is $67,250.50 to $267,250.50 cheaper to maintain each year than the ball fields.

Not only is Roberts Stadium cheaper than the ball fields and significantly under the estimated budget, it also...

1. Has weathered the vast majority of the winter.

2. Is still cheaper than the ball fields and under budget even when the figures have frivolous expenses turned in by the Building Authority such as $56 uniforms and $17,000 custodial expenses (what custodian are we paying to leave the graffiti on the windows and the hole in the concrete entrance?).

3. Would cost significantly less each month if the floor was raised and the water pumps were eliminated!

The real questions the C&P needs to be asking are the following...

1. Why has the graffiti on the windows, which has been there for several weeks now, been allowed to remain on the windows?

2. Why has the parking lot crack, which was like that even when Roberts Stadium was open, been allowed to be neglected for months and months now?

3. If the roof was completely reroofed in 2002, have any insurance claims been investigated?

4. If Dave Rector is embarrassed about Roberts Stadium's bathrooms, why isn't he embarrassed about leaving the graffiti on the windows and the crack in the entrance to the parking lot?

5. Why is Dave Rector, who is involved with the downtown Main Gate Sports Bar, involved with Roberts Stadium which is the economic engine for competing restaurants Kipplee's, Turoni's, and Western Rib-Eye?

While the C&P continues to let their Yellow Journalism Fever go untreated, the numbers are in and they speak loud and clear in Roberts Stadium's favor.

A mid-sized Roberts Stadium makes all the sense in the world while demolition makes no sense.

Don't fall victim to Yellow Journalism Fever, SAVE ROBERTS STADIUM!

A Message From Evansville Mayor Hank Roberts' Granddaughter & Great-Granddaughter

Throughout this whole process, we have heard from city officials, city residents, Roberts Stadium neighbors, and just about anybody who has felt compelled to speak on behalf of Roberts Stadium.

One group that we have not heard from yet is by far and away the most important group to Roberts Stadium- Hank Roberts' family. Since I have been working on this mission of saving Roberts Stadium, the Roberts family has been supportive of me in everything that I have done. They were first in line when I sold "Save Roberts Stadium" shirts at cost (the ones in the picture), they have always supported my blog postings with their thoughts and praise, and they have appeared at rallies that a good friend of mine Brenda Bergwitz hosted.

It is important to understand that while Roberts Stadium may see to be just bricks and beams to some in this town, it is the legacy of Evansville and Hank Roberts to the rest of us. This building was dedicated to Evansville mayor Hank Roberts well over 50 years ago and it has stood for Hank since that time. We aren't just preserving a building or an arena, rather we are preserving a monument to all of the great things that Hank Roberts did for us most notably his "Plan of Progress" and his decision to seek a reuse for the Soldiers & Sailors Coliseum.

With all of that being said, I want you to hear first hand from the Roberts family on what this building means to them. I hope you will keep them and their words in your heart, in your mind, and in your actions on the day(s) that you go to present your ideas.

Kristine Beard- Granddaughter of Mayor Hank Roberts

Henry Owen Roberts was my grandfather. Many knew him as Hank Roberts. He was mayor of the City of Evansville before I was born. To me he was the most amazing man. I did not realize until I was older that he had contributed so much to this city.

H.O. Roberts was married to the former Alice Johnson. They had twin girls, Janet and Jean. Janet was my mom. She married John William (Bill) Kleindorfer. They were my parents. I have two sisters, Candi and Kathy Kleindorfer. My parents have both passed away. My aunt Janet married Richard Martin and they had two children, Becky Martin Murray and Ron Martin. Dick Martin has passed away and Ron unfortunately died of cancer a couple of years ago. There are five great grandchildren: Rick and Matt Murray, McKenzie Martin, William Roberts Forston and Lisa Jean Beard. To grandpa…his family was the most important part of his life.

The second most important part of his life was politics. He treasured his four years as mayor. Roberts Stadium was his legacy and his vision. He always talked with pride about the stadium. I was fortunate to always have Roberts Stadium. I can remember going to so many special events at the stadium. My grandfather always promoted this city and the stadium. He attended many events at the stadium.

Before the renovation, there were two gold seats in the front row that were his seats. I have many fond memories of all the years we went to the Shrine Circus. I made sure I went to the last Shrine Circus at Roberts Stadium. For me, that was a very sad day.

My grandfather loved the city so much that he requested that he be buried in a city cemetery. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery. His tombstone lists that he was mayor of the city of Evansville. I will always treasure the time I had with this amazing man. We called him Grandpa or simply ‘PA’. He was the type to always make time for the grandchildren. He took us to picnics, the zoo, the rodeo, for drives to the river, etc. I loved him very much and miss him.

I will also always remember when he had his stroke. This left him partially paralyzed and no longer able to get out and be with people. He loved being around people. But the most amazing thing is that I never once heard him complain, even after the stroke left him home bound. He never stopped following politics and keeping up with the city of Evansville.

I have no doubt my grandfather would have been touched by the efforts of Jordan Baer and the Save Roberts Stadium group. I would love to see his legacy saved. I personally did not agree with the city building the new arena. Would my grandfather have approved? I am not sure. But I know he would want what was best for the city.

Saving Roberts Stadium is not in opposition to the new arena. The arena is here and we do need to support the facility and hope for the best. But that does not mean there is no longer a need for Roberts Stadium. I do hope the committee that Mayor Winnecke has put together will come up with a viable way to save the stadium.

Lisa Jean Beard- Great-Granddaughter of Mayor Hank Roberts

Roberts Stadium has always been a very special place to me. It was built by my great-grandfather. Sadly, I was never able to personally know him because he died before I was born. However, I have heard so many wonderful things about him from my mother. I have heard so many wonderful stories of how amazing of a grandfather that he was to her, and of how amazing of a person he was in general.

From: Lisa Beard

Thank you Kristine and Lisa for all of your support and your great letters for Roberts Stadium. On January 26th, January 28th, and February 1st, remember Hank Roberts and his family as you go to present your idea to SAVE ROBERTS STADIUM!

Thank You Mayor Winnecke & Mr. Larry Steenberg

Photo Credit: CourierPress.com

With just a few days to go before our task force opens up the forums to the public, I feel like it is time to pause and give thanks to those who are stepping forward to lead this process.

*******************************************************************************
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke,

Thank you for forming this task force to seek and discover ideas for Roberts Stadium. The previous mayor proved that you didn't have to do it, but you proved that you were going to do it anyway. I appreciate your willingness to listen to those who care about Roberts Stadium.

I hope, and I believe, that Roberts Stadium will be the first piece to the puzzle that you are assembling to make a better Evansville for tomorrow. Roberts Stadium has shown these past 56 years that Hank Roberts did the correct thing, not the political thing, in building Roberts Stadium. I'm confident you will do the same thing in saving Roberts Stadium.

Mr. Larry Steenberg,

Thank you for chairing this committee. In just the few minutes I have talked to you, I can already tell that you are the leader we need to get this job done. Your down to earth attitude, your long history of success, and your willingness to listen to and judge all people fairly prove this.

I look forward to working with you on this task force, and, like Mayor Winnecke, I believe Roberts Stadium will be your biggest gift to the city of Evansville that will stand for many years to come because of the work you put into this facility.... just like Mayor Hank Roberts did.

***********************************************************************************

While Dave Rector of the Evansville Building Authority digs and digs for ticky-tack things to use as reasons for demolishing Roberts Stadum, the people of Evansville are going to all ends of the earth to make sure that city hall understands that they want to keep Roberts Stadium. In the end, Rector's Odyssey will only give us reason to seek a new caretaker for Roberts Stadium.

These reasons are already pouring in such as graphic and disturbing graffiti being left on the windows for weeks and weeks when they could have been cleaned off in a handful of hours, the hole in the concrete entrance road STILL being allowed to sink even when the Building Authority has had construction horses scattered around the hole for almost a year now, and duct tape on the electrical box being blamed on SMG a whole year after they gave up control of the facility to the Building Authority.

If we are going to be successful in saving Roberts Stadium, we have to have leaders who are willing to make correct, smart, and bold decisions even if they defy political convenience. Those two leaders are Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and Roberts Stadium Task Force Chairman Larry Steenberg. Both of these leaders have committed themselves to listening to the people of Evansville, giving Roberts Stadium its due process, and making sure we do what's best for our city (which is saving Roberts Stadium of course!).

I am excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity and I hope you are too. THANK MAYOR LLOYD WINNECKE & MR. LARRY STEENBERG!

We Have & We Can Make A Difference

With last night officially in the books, the task force is now officially on the same page. For highlights of the first meeting, which was strictly organizational, please visit Channel 14 WFIE...

http://www.14news.com/story/16557518/roberts-stadium-committee-to-set

Now that we have all of the logistics ironed out, we are now ready to begin the process of listening to the public. In the next two weeks, you will have 3 opportunities to express your idea(s), comments, opinions, suggestions, etc, etc. These dates will be...

Thursday January 26th- 5:30 pm @ The Centre

Saturday January 28th- 10:00 am @ Roberts Stadium

Wednesday February 1st- 5:30 pm @ The Centre

At these three meetings, the public will come forward, one-by-one, to speak. These ideas will be recorded into a data bank and then put together by the task force. If you can't make it to one of the meetings, there will be an online website established for you to record your idea(s).

It is also important to note that the task force WILL NOT make a recommendation. Rather, it will assemble all feasible ideas and then deliver them to Mayor Winnecke who will make the ultimate final decision. What I like about this process is that, in my opinion, this is the first step in replicating a program that Oklahoma City does called MAPS...

http://evansvillemovingforward.blogspot.com/2011/05/large-capital-improvement-projects-can.html

Although I'm pretty confident that city officials don't realize it, nonetheless, they are still slowly embracing the concept of MAPS where citizen ideas are compiled together and then embraced rather than a handful of people deciding on a plan.

Under this system, I will be standing in line with the rest of the citizens to express my ideas and thoughts (yes you better pack a sleeping bag). Could you imagine...

- David Dunn having to stand in line with everyone else to present his idea for where the ball fields belong. It would never  have held up against Kleymeyer Park where baseball history and nostalgia runs rampant.

- John Kish having to stand in line with his idea for where the Ford Center should have been built. We would have ended up with a much better design, location, and size of the Ford Center.

- Mayor Frank McDonald Sr having to stand in line to present his plan for the Civic Center. Something tells me we would have ended up with a plan that didn't divide Main Street.

Those are just a handful of projects that would have been much more successful if only they would have been treated equal amongst the citizen's ideas. Most importantly, all of the above projects would be much more popular with the locals if they would have been community projects and not individual projects.

Although I am a citizen of Evansville just like you, there are a few things I would like to challenge each and every one of you on before you step up to the plate with your ideas. They are...

1. PLEASE, and I mean PLEASE, look at the entire complex with your proposal. In other words, don't have a plan, have a vision. As someone who is dedicated to both urban planning and arena construction and preservation, I firmly believe that no arena shall be constructed or preserved without including plans for the surrounding area around it.

Already, and yes I am quite surprised at how quick it has happened, there have been Facebook sites claiming that my beliefs are anti-BMX, anti-swimming complex, and/or anti-trails. This is 180 degrees from the truth and I will tell you why. The main problem that some of the groups are facing is their inability to look at the entire complex and not just Roberts Stadium. Personally, there is a plan in Portland, Oregon that sums up best how I feel about the Roberts Stadium complex as well...

(bolding has been added by me)

http://www.pdxactionsports.com/the_facilities/veterans-memorial/

"Our proposal is to the leave Memorial Coliseum essentially intact, with updated seating and support facilities and a flexible-events program that not only includes ’showcased’ action-sports events but other events as well."

"Our proposal takes a long range urban planning outlook. We believe that the proper approach recognizes serious problems at the district scale (not just coliseum scale), and proposes infusing life into the area by fixing what is broken and making best use of what works, in essence, re-invigorating the district with action-sports activities while keeping the coliseum and the rose garden arena more or less intact."

This is just my opinion, which is no better or worse than yours, but I believe, and I want to see Mayor Winnecke thoroughly listen to, the idea that an action sports (BMX + whatever market forces demand down the road), water park, and mid-sized arena complex should work together not compete with each other. (If you really want to know what my complex idea looks like just send me an email- JordanBaer1@gmail.com).

Obviously, your opinion may or may not differ from that belief. However, I would like for you to be able to answer the following questions in your proposal..

1. What is your plan for Roberts Stadium? I.E-Leave it as is, renovate it, or convert it?
2. What is your plan for the back lot? I.E- Leave it as a parking lot, build another facility add-on, or return to nature?
3. What is your plan for the lot between Swonder Ice Arena and Roberts Stadium? I.E- see #2
4. What is your plan for the rest of the parking lot? I.E- see #2
versa? Same thing with anything nature you plan to add to the complex.

Basically, I want YOU to be an urban planner, not just a manager of Roberts Stadium. That is the only way we are going to develop a plan that is efficient, smart, and well-received. It is also the only way we are going to save Roberts Stadium long-term, not just short-term.

2. Try to consider and implement as many ideas from others as possible. As I mentioned in Point # 1, I believe that I have a complex where all of the parts are arranged so that those who want a natatorium/new Hartke Pool/indoor water park resort, those who want a BMX Super Pavilion, those who want to promote the Greenway and outdoor nature, as well as those who want to see the mid-sized events (which are currently dormant in Evansville) brought to town while addressing the concerns of those who look at this from a financial standpoint only.

Keep in mind, there are also many intangible benefits to consider. For example, how quickly and easily could your idea be converted to a disaster relief area? How would your idea compliment the Ford Center? How would your idea be used by others when your events aren't using Roberts Stadium or the surrounding complex?

I feel like many ideas that we have heard over the past two years are good, but they will only be great if we can COMBINE them all into one large idea that gathers support from all areas of the city. Remember, Roberts Stadium has served ALL OF EVANSVILLE for the past 55 1/4th years. If she is going to stick around for another 56 years, ALL OF EVANSVILLE must be represented in our final master plan.

3. Make sure your plan makes sense financially. We've heard every bit of a thousand ideas. Unfortunately, I can tell you without a doubt that there are not a thousand separate plans for Roberts Stadium that make financial sense (although there still are many to choose from that do). When you have sat down, thought about what you would like to see Roberts Stadium converted to, analyzed how this plan affects the surrounding complex, and then put the plan together, make sure you thoroughly investigate how much it would cost.

Make no mistake, you will not have to have your plan down to the penny. Truthfully, no one will be able to get their plan down to the penny until our tax advisers, our construction and engineering experts, and our city finance officials have had time to apply our ideas to the Roberts Stadium complex specifically. Therefore, you don't need to come in with hardcore financial statements. What you simply need to come prepared to do is to have a rough estimate for what the costs might be to implement your entire plan.

When evaluating costs, be sure to think about...

- The P3 model which is Public-Private-Partnerships.
- Grants that apply to your idea
- ROI (Return On Investment) for your idea

4. Lastly, make sure you continue to show your support for Roberts Stadium. The only way we are going to defeat those who support demolition is if we stay united. In my opinion, we have demolition supporters beat by at least an 80-20 margin. In order for us to win this battle, we must remain a "big tent" rather than a divisive group caught up in a civil war.

All you have to do to see this belief in action is to look at our very own Vanderburgh County Democratic Central Committee. For the record, I am a moderate who is affiliated with neither party. But if you look at the VCDCC you will see what happens when there are too many egos involved. The division in their party has and will continue to cost their party many elections without their opponent having to lift a finger.

This is not what we want. Every single person who will be coming to the three above meetings with ideas on how to reuse Roberts Stadium has one central belief in their heart- Preserve and Protect this Evansville icon. Truthfully, as long as we do this, I'm happy and I hope you will be as well.

With all of that being said, the ball is now in your court (pun fully intended). There really isn't much to say between now and our first hearing on the 26th. Therefore, in the next few days, this blog will be discussing sports arena situations around the U.S such as Wichita successfully having 3 arenas, Detroit finally changing their ways, and what happens to cities and neighborhoods who demolish sports venues. I will also be releasing a statement from Hank Roberts' granddaughter and great-granddaughter so that you know who you are fighting for!

Thank you for all of your support for Roberts Stadium and I hope to see you at the hearings! One person can make a difference for Roberts Stadium. Will you be that one person?

On The Eve of the 1st Task Force Meeting, We Must Remember Who We Are

In less than 24 hours, the process of putting together everything we have fought for will begin. This is a day I thought would never come. For over a year and a half now, we have asked for this task force. When I started this blog back in late August/ early September, the future looked dark for Roberts Stadium as just about all of Evansville assumed she was destined for the wrecking ball.

Tomorrow, it will be Roberts Stadium, not the ball fields at Wesselman Park, that will be in the spotlight. As Roberts Stadium sits in this spotlight, it is us, the people who have been fighting for this venue, that will need to rise to the occasion for this historic and city-defining moment. We must play like a champion...



Truthfully, I'm Agnostic (undecided) on the whole religious thing. But, I firmly believe that I will cross paths one day with both Ralph Legeman and Hank Roberts. They too, more than anyone else, worked tirelessly to get this venue built. Ralph Legeman had many sleepless nights trying to design Roberts Stadium and his other patented fieldhouses. Hank Roberts ended up sacrificing his entire political career, one that he worked many years on, so that Roberts Stadium could be built. Roberts Stadium is their ultimate gift to us the citizens of Evansville.

I refuse to be the one who has to explain to these two legends why I didn't do enough and why I gave it all away. I refuse to quit on Roberts Stadium. I will not rest until this venue is back on the right track. If Legeman can spend many nights sleepless, if Roberts can sacrifice his entire political career, and if this building can stand tall when there wasn't a dry eye around Evansville in 1977, then surely I, one of the 15 members of this task force, can fight like a hornet to save this venue. Regardless of the outcome, when the task force's job is done, I will have left it all on the court...



Too many times, our local leaders either forget what they're fighting for or don't have anything to fight for outside of their own career. While they think they will get away with this lack of a vision, just about every single time they fail, and they end up taking the entire city down with them.

So that we don't repeat this same failed path, it is important to remember who we are and what we are fighting for....

WHO ARE WE?

We are the people who understand the priceless and nostalgic history of Roberts Stadium.

We are the people who understand how important Roberts Stadium is to the city of Evansville.

We are the people who want to maintain the taxpayer funds invested in Roberts Stadium.

We are the people who have the best financial plan for Roberts Stadium and the surrounding complex.

We are the people who are smart enough to see that those who claim the Ford Center and Roberts Stadium will compete is nothing more than a scare tactic that can't be backed up with any evidence.

We are the people who want to see baseball, in the form of youth baseball fields, brought to life at Kleymeyer Park next to historic Bosse Field.

We are the people who believe that our ball fields should replicate vintage MLB fields in order to pay tribute to Don Mattingly.

We are the people who believe that everyone can win with Roberts Stadium because those who want a lake can build one in the back lot, those who want a swimming complex can build on the Hartke Pool location, those who want ball fields can build at Kleymeyer Park (where baseball history actually exists, those who want a BMX facility may build one just north of Roberts Stadium, and those who want to see the Greenway trail expanded may use Roberts Stadium as an indoor trail hub for the Greenway.

We are the people who want to help the Ford Center by packaging Roberts Stadium with it in bids for basketball, hockey, and other tournaments.

We are the people who want to improve the USI men's and women's basketball team by giving them Roberts Stadium, a facility that comes with 15 luxury boxes and zero debt.

We are the people who have been chasing leads such as the Evansville Rage Indoor Football Team while naysayers such as the Courier & Press and Vanderburgh County Democratic Central Committee have done absolutely nothing for Roberts Stadium.

We are the people who are responsible by keeping Roberts Stadium so that one day it can be used as a disaster relief area if need be.

We are the people who respect the wishes of the Roberts Stadium neighborhood where you will see over 150 "Save Roberts Stadium" yard signs.

We are people like Brenda Bergwitz who hosted rallies, Sherman Stevens who walked door-to-door hanging yard signs, Berniece Tirmenstein who found a ride to the library to research Roberts Stadium, and Sylvia Trabits-Niemeier/Martha Crosley who look to help Roberts Stadium and Wesselman Park.

We are the people who understand history which proves to us with the Soldiers & Sailors Coliseum how we should go about saving Roberts Stadium.

We are the people who want to help the restaurants and retail stores who have been hurting since Roberts Stadium closed.

We are the people who will do whatever it takes to make Lloyd Winnecke the best mayor in Evansville history since he has bolding gone out of his way to fight for us to have a voice for Roberts Stadium.

We are the people who put Roberts Stadium above Democrat, Republican, Conservative, and Liberal ideologies.

We are the people who are committed to Smart Growth principles and policies by fighting to renovate Roberts Stadium so that it will last another 56 years.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: We are the people who refuse to be out-worked, out-hustled, or out-smarted.

As we sit on the eve of beginning the task of choosing the direction Roberts Stadium takes for the next 56 years, let's pause for just a moment to remember who we are!