Yesterday, I talked about the fact that we've already got the vast majority of the funding needed to raise the floor if we move quickly thanks to mayor Weinzapfel setting aside $200,000 for either demolition or renovations and $95,000 for maintenance in the first quarter of 2012, which we can use for renovations if we start construction in early 2012.
The third and final funding I talked about that would be needed to raise the floor would come from selling the 5,000-6,000 seats that would be removed from Roberts Stadium's front rows. While I would love to add a Roberts Stadium game used chair to my sports memorabilia collection, it is imperative for the city of Evansville to give the vast majority, if not all, of the removed seats to the EVCB to use for a ball fields project in exchange for a tiny piece of the Innkeepers Tax.
While this is certainly beating a dead horse as I've already discussed the Cause & Effect model that will result from the decision on Roberts Stadium...
http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/07/cause-effect-chain-of-events.html
And I've already discussed how we can help 12 organizations by placing the ball fields at Kleymeyer..
http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/07/wouldnt-land-swap-make-much-more-sense.html
I still feel like it is important to make sure that everyone is on the same page as to why and how partnering with the ECVB and the ball fields project is a benefit to both Roberts Stadium and those who support the ball fields.
Like I said back in August, to make Evansville successful, Roberts Stadium, the Ford Center, and the ball fields project ALL NEED EACH OTHER and should be supportive of each other...
http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-arena-supporters-should-be-on-our.html
Of course, the next question that critics will bring up is the price tag. We just spent $127.5 million on the Ford Center, will be spending $400,000-$500,000 to raise Roberts Stadium's floor (hopefully), and will then need to secure funding for the ball fields which were estimated to cost $17.5 million on the Roberts Stadium lot.
This is where I believe Lloyd Winnecke has yet another excellent chance of displaying his fiscal responsibility (on a side note: It was good seeing Lloyd at the Vectren hearing. I appreciate him going up and introducing himself to my mom as well. Lloyd is a complete class act!). How can we pull all of these parts together?
First of all, the Ford Center has done received its funding and has already been built. The funds used to construct the Ford Center came from three sources: The Food & Beverage Tax, Downtown TIF funds, and funds from Casino Aztar. All three of these funds were specifically earmarked for tourism only and will have no impact on our city budget. Congratulations and thank you mayor Weinzapfel.
Next, it is up to us to complete the next two projects in this threeplex proposal. But how in the world can we build two projects when our Vanderburgh County Council said we didn't have the funds to finance just the ball fields project? Well, I'm going to make a bold statement and say the following...
We can build both of these projects cheaper than the projected $17.5 million for just the ball fields if we do this correctly.
How is this possible? How can we build two cheaper than the price of one? Doesn't this defeat the basic principles of math?
To get the answers to these questions, let's go back and take a look at what the previous ECVB had budgeted for the ball fields...
http://media.courierpress.com/media/static/The_Park_Construction_Budget-1029.pdf
There are a few budget line items that stick out...
"Community Support Costs–The Park $2,425,830.00"
According to the report, this item consists of the following...
"Existing Facility Reconstruction-$249,830.00
Electrical Re‐Engineering Commitment–Wesselman $200,000.00
New Transformer to Wesselman Park $110,000.00
3 Phase Electrical Distribution to Wesselman Park $216,000.00
New Water Service to Par 3 $150,000.00
Roberts Stadium Demolition $1,500,000.00"
According to the Courier & Press, the $249,830 would have gone towards rebuilding Wesselman's volleyball, basketball and handball courts. Although the basketball courts at Garvin Park could use a little help, the truth is, the Evansville Otters have done a wonderful job with the playgrounds at Garvin Park and I fully trust them to maintain those structures. We also have Bob Walthers' Golf-N-Fun which will pull in the majority of tourists to the ball fields. Therefore, we can pass on this budget item for the time being.
While we will need an electrical system set up at Kleymeyer Park, we have yet another golden opportunity to generate electrical funds from the methane gas underneath Kleymeyer Park...
http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2010/11/red-rover-red-rover-please-send-epa-on.html
Where else can you build the ball fields and find a source to produce your electricity at the same time?
Obviously, and most importantly to the goal of this blog, the $1.5 million is instantly saved as we will be using the down payment from mayor Weinzapfel and the removed seats to renovate Roberts Stadium, move our tenants in, and keep it turning a profit. This is where Lloyd Winnecke's goal of fiscal responsibility comes in.
Although the EVCB would have to give us approximately $105,000 to $205,000 for the seats in order for us to have the remaining funds to start renovations on Roberts Stadium's floor, they will be saving in the following budget line item from the C&P link...
"Softball/Baseball Complex Construction $12,832,902.00
-Athletic Fields $4,909,404.00"
How much of that was budgeted for seats? I honestly don't know, but the Courier & Press link attached to the budget said the following...
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/nov/01/visitors-bureau-distributes-detailed-budget-wessel/?preventMobileRedirect=1
"Accessory structures such as concession stands and bleachers are to cost about $1.56 million,..."
For $105,000 to $205,000, the ECVB will be getting roughly 750 seats (not bleachers) per ball field and will already have 3 ball fields at Kleymeyer to reuse materials from.
Lastly, some, if not most, of the "soft costs" should/could be avoided as well if we use our city legal and engineering departments wisely.
Overall, if we choose Kleymeyer Park for the ball fields project and couple it with a renovated Roberts Stadium, we're looking at trimming at least $3-$5 million instantly. This estimate doesn't take into account...
1. We can involve our local MLB stars: http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-are-we-not-involving-our-local-mlb.html
If we partner with Don Mattingly, we would stand a good chance of partnering with Major League Baseball and their sponsors who are currently helping to rebuild ball fields across the U.S.
2. We can increase sponsorship revenue by building the ball fields with simple and affordable, but effective, faux walls that would look like vintage MLB fields: http://www.bigleaguedreams.com/replica-fields
3. In future years, we will be receiving funds from the methane gas generating electricity.
To summarize the articles I have posted on here, how can Lloyd Winnecke sell Roberts Stadium to the public?
1. Jobs
2. Fiscal Responsibility
3. Economic Development
4. Everyone's Interest and Concerns in Improving Evansville
5. A Monument to Hank Roberts, Ralph Legeman, and Legeman's Fieldhouse invention
6. Intangible Benefits
7. A One-Two Punch With Roberts Stadium and the Ford Center
And how many possible groups can we help with a ball fields project at Kleymeyer coupled with a renovated Roberts Stadium?
1. Help Hamilton Golf Course ( if Bob Walters moves his driving range)
2. Help the current North High School building (if EYFL moves to North's field)
3. Help EYFL (if EYFL moves to North's field)
4. Help Bob Walthers
5. Help the Bosse Field District
6. Help Roberts Stadium
7. Help North Main Street finally connect to downtown Main Street
8. Help Wesselman Park grow around Roberts Stadium
9. Help increase the Innkeepers Tax revenue
10. Help the Parks Dept clean up a current park
11. Help the new arena with parking
12. Help the Evansville Otters find more revenue
13. Help the east side maintain business from Roberts Stadium
Mayor-Elect Lloyd Winnecke can give the residents of Evansville at least 7 reasons why we should save Roberts Stadium and build the ball fields at Kleymeyer Park that can help at least 13 organizations while spending significantly less money than the original plan? And all he has to do is ask each resident the following: Would you rather spend money to demolish Roberts Stadium and construct basic ball fields or would you rather spend millions less, save Roberts Stadium, and build 8 quality vintage MLB fields at Kleymeyer Park?
Jobs, fiscal spending, the state of our parks, economic development, and government listening to the people were all prime issues during the past election. Lloyd Winnecke has the power to start addressing every single one of these issues before he even spends a month in the mayors office. He even has the power to pay tribute to mayor Weinzapfel by using his Roberts Stadium funds wisely, helping the ECVB finally get their ball fields project, and gain favor with the neighbors of Roberts Stadium who said they would support the ball fields if they were built elsewhere.
That's how much potential Lloyd has, and this is why I'm excited to see what he will do in office.
Roberts Stadium has guided Evansville for 55 years through daylight and darkness, sickness and health, through the good times, and through the bad times. If we let Roberts Stadium continue to guide our city as we make crucial decisions on our ball fields project and on the future of Roberts Stadium itself, it will still continue to be there for us, I guarantee it!
ROBERTS STADIUM: THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!
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