My Statement Regarding Today's Big Announcement By Lloyd Winnecke

(Photo credit: Courierpress.com)

For those who have been following this blog, supporting the Save Roberts Stadium movement, and actively expressing their support for Roberts Stadium, today is a great day for all of us thanks to Mayor-Elect Lloyd Winnecke.

At 10 o'clock this morning, Lloyd Winnecke, standing at Gate 1, which I hope to see renamed in a naming rights deal, announced the 15 member committee that will decide the fate of Roberts Stadium...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/dec/29/winnecke-will-announce-task-force-roberts-stadium/

And if you look at the webcast 14 WFIE did, you will see that Roberts Stadium is looking pretty good today in the bowl area...

http://www.14news.com/category/195961/video-landing-page?clipId=6590836&autostart=true

As most of you know, I am one of the fifteen members of this newly created committee. Since the announcement, I have been speechless for the vast majority of the day (those who read this blog regularly know that's pretty hard for me to do). But with that being said, I am humbled, honored, and thankful to be chosen by Mayor-Elect Lloyd Winnecke to serve the city of Evansville and legendary Roberts Stadium.

I would first like to thank Lloyd Winnecke for selecting me to this committee. For those of you who have been saying that the next four years are going to be like the last fifty years, today has proven you wrong. For those who have said that Lloyd Winnecke has no vision and is only in office to serve a political agenda, today has proven you wrong. And for those of you who have said that Lloyd Winnecke lacks the guts, the commitment, and the skill to genuinely pursue saving Roberts Stadium, today has proven you wrong.

Truthfully, I am not worthy to serve on a committee composed by a mayor of Lloyd Winnecke's caliber, but I can guarantee you that I plan on burning the midnight oil to deliver a newly renovated Roberts Stadium for the city of Evansville like I have been doing for almost a year and a half now. Since the beginning of the battle to save Roberts Stadium, I have had many sleepless nights and have shed over 30 + pounds. I am now ready to take Roberts Stadium across the finish line.

What makes today as great as it is, is that Lloyd did an excellent job putting together this committee. You can view the fifteen members here...

http://city-countyobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RSTF_LIST_OF_MEMBERS_-_FINAL.pdf

Reading through that list, it should be obvious to anyone who follows the sports management industry that Lloyd Winnecke has assembled an offensive juggernaut capable of going down the field successfully. As you read through the names, you will see that Lloyd has picked bankers, architects, construction experts, and activists like me who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. We are going to have plenty of weapons in our arsonry.

For me, this committee is the ultimate chance of a lifetime to do what I love doing best- fighting for sports venues while improving the city I call home at the same time. As a graduate of the University of Kentucky, I paid dearly in out-of-state tuition fees for the knowledge to complete this task. I have previously done some work in Lexington, KY on saving the UK Basketball Museum (a loss) and in Seattle, WA to keep Key Arena (a win although the NBA's Sonics were lost). On the day of my graduation in Lexington, I paid a visit to the "Baron of the Bluegrass"-- Adolph Rupp...



Now, I am ready to complete this Roberts Stadium task so that I can visit Roberts Stadium architect Ralph Legeman and former Evansville mayor Hank Roberts on the day we save Roberts Stadium.

So with all of that being said, we must do what Lloyd Winnecke summed up perfectly-- Look at this with, "logic and emotion." If we put together a financial plan that is void of all emotion for this iconic structure, it won't work. On the flip side, if we put together a plan that is just designed to soothe our emotions for Roberts Stadium and doesn't pan out financially, it won't work either.

Luckily, Roberts Stadium has proven to us this past year and a half that it can work financially and emotionally. How is this so?...

1. One investor, Mr. Chip Rosetti, is interested in moving his Evansville Rage indoor football team into the venue along with minor league basketball, inline skating, professional lacrosse, indoor soccer, and mid-sized concerts. He has previously worked for both the Bluecats and Icemen and is confident that these tenants will retain Roberts Stadium's financial solvency if the floor is raised.

2. If the floor is raised, this would eliminate the vast majority of Roberts Stadium's $300,000 annual expenses by eliminating the need for the water pumps.

3. The Evansville market has proven time-after-time that there is sufficient demand for youth sports tournaments, high school basketball tournaments, and college basketball invitationals.

4. If the floor is raised at Roberts Stadium, this will prevent it from competing with the Ford Center which houses premier concerts and sporting events. Furthermore, raising the floor would also give us around 5,000 to 6,000 seats to incorporate into our ball fields project which belongs at Kleymeyer Park and designed to replicate vintage MLB ballparks.

5. USI is currently in need of a financial shot to the arm. Roberts Stadium comes with fifteen luxury boxes, zero debt, and affordable rent (if the water pumps are eliminated). This is USI's big opportunity to drastically improve their men's and women's basketball team budgets.

6. There are several funding sources for a renovation to Roberts Stadium including naming rights to the gates...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/11/selling-secondary-naming-rights-can.html

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/07/lets-make-funding-personal.html

7. Demolishing Roberts Stadium and constructing a park makes no sense financially. If demolished, we would be spending at least $200,000 taxpayer dollars (ECVB estimate was $1.25 million), committing an unknown amount of funds to construct a park, and committing an unknown amount of funds to maintain this park. Not to mention, our Parks Dept is struggling as is...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-call-to-stand-evansville-parks.html

Obviously, before you start on a committee, you must first identify the goals, objectives, and vision(s) you have for the project. Earlier I talked about the 7 different ways Lloyd Winnecke can sell Roberts Stadium to the public...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-can-lloyd-winnecke-sell-roberts.html

Basically, these 7 benefits to saving Roberts Stadium are my goals as well...

1. Bring Back The Lost SMG Jobs
2. Achieve Fiscal Responsibility
3. Stabilize The Economic Development Around Roberts Stadium
4. Incorporate Everyone's Interest and Concerns in Improving Evansville
5. Maintain The Monument to Hank Roberts, Ralph Legeman, and Legeman's Fieldhouse Invention
6. Provide Intangible Benefits
7. Establish A One-Two Punch With Roberts Stadium and the Ford Center

To all of those who have supported me and my blog throughout this whole process, I want you to know....

I hear you, Lloyd Winnecke hears you, and soon, the people who want to demolish this building are going to hear from all of us!

I also want to thank those who have fought for Roberts Stadium over the past year and a half whether that was buying a shirt I sold at cost, displaying a yard sign, hosting a rally, writing into the Evansville Courier & Press, incorporating Roberts Stadium into your political vision as a candidate for office, and/or visiting this blog to gather ideas, facts, and news updates on Roberts Stadium.

As we embark on this mission to save Roberts Stadium, I am confident that we have been given a golden opportunity from Lloyd Winnecke who is without a doubt the next Hank Roberts. I am also confident that we now have the people, the resources, and the unified vision to get this done.

THANK YOU MAYOR-ELECT LLOYD WINNECKE & LET'S SAVE ROBERTS STADIUM!