(photo credit: photobucket.com member bawsoot75)In a very unusual twist of events, the Evansville Parks Department has begun negotiations to close Roberts Stadium three months before the new arena is scheduled to open...
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/jun/17/evansville-proposes-closing-date-roberts-stadium/
To me, this plan (if we can call it one) makes absolutely no sense. While it does make sense to use Roberts Stadium as something other than a premier arena, the fact that city hall and the Parks Department are insisting that Roberts Stadium be closed well before the opening of the new arena and well before a decision has been made on Roberts Stadium reeks of mismanagement.
Let's take a look at some of the quotes from the article...
“I had to suggest something to get the ball rolling in that position,” Schall said. “If it didn’t work we’ll make a decision on what does.”
Why did the Parks Department suddenly feel the urge to begin negotiations to close Roberts Stadium but HAVE NEVER felt the urge to study reuse alternatives, host community hearings, or form a panel to meet and discuss what we could do with Roberts Stadium? It makes absolutely no sense to close down a venue when you have no idea what you're going to do with the venue and your new venue doesn't even open up until three months later.
Schall said uncertainty from the closing date springs from the lineup of events SMG had already scheduled to be held in the stadium. The date is one day after the scheduled performance of Bob Dylan.
Since the issue of what to do with Roberts Stadium has arisen, city hall has tried to scare the whole town into believing that we would be wasting money mothballing Roberts Stadium, yet our Parks Department wants to scratch multiple events that SMG has booked in favor of mothballing it for an undefined amount of time? Like I said in earlier posts, if Roberts Stadium is mothballed, city hall will have no one to blame but themselves.
Schall said a concrete date for the closure of the stadium could be formalized this week.
“We’ll have to see,” Schall said.
Why wasn't there a rush to find a reuse alternative for Roberts Stadium but now there is a rush to close it? Again, it makes absolutely no sense to me.
Earlier this week, Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel said his administration is considering setting money aside in next year’s budget to mothball Roberts Stadium for at least three months and pay for its demolition. He added the money for possible demolition could also be directed toward another use of the facility.
As most of you who read this blog frequently know, I have identified an investor who already has two teams, connections to bring in mid-sized concerts, and connections to bring in youth tournaments. All we have to do is raise the floor which is cheaper than demolition ( I talk about this in the post below). I STRONGLY urge Mayor Weinzapfel to consider this plan I have put together. Like he said, we have the money to do something for Roberts Stadium, why don't we keep our icon around and grow our city instead of leveling it? Mayor Weinzapfel has the opportunity to do something special with Roberts Stadium which will compliment the new arena that he boldly built. I sure hope he makes the right decision again!
Overall, I just don't understand why our Parks Department is running scared from Roberts Stadium. They absolutely, positively refuse to listen to any ideas from the community, study reuse options, or form a committee to find a solution. I find this to be extremely disappointing as I have compiled both an investor with multiple teams and connections to other events and a rough estimate for what it would take to raise the floor.
Instead of rushing the closure of Roberts Stadium, why don't we first make a decision about what we are going to do with the arena? Let's work to SAVE ROBERTS STADIUM!
No comments:
Post a Comment