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We've seen a lot things these past few weeks that make you want to scratch your head in disbelief. But today takes the cake as it is apparently Turn Back The Clock Day at the ECVB.
Make no mistake, I have all the respect in the world for Mr. Bob Warren. On the flip side, I have no respect, zero, for any of the past ECVB members most notably David Dunn who wanted us to believe that it would cost at least $500,000 a year to run Roberts Stadium which clearly isn't happening...
http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2012/01/as-roberts-stadium-comes-under-budget.html
So with that being said, I am shocked, baffled, amazed, and just flat out speechless to find out that Mr.Warren has sent the Roberts Stadium Task Force a letter endorsing construction of the ball fields on this land. Why would anyone from any organization want to build this project after the public vehemently spoke out against it for many reasons other than just money? Why would anyone trust the figures given by Dunn who vastly overstated the Roberts Stadium situation?
Those concerns are just a drop in the bucket amongst the many other concerns I have such as the following...
1. Why wasn't this plan brought to any of the public meetings? Isn't it too late?
2. If this plan is that great why was there next to no support for it during the public meetings?
3. If Roberts Stadium is demolished for a green space, how long will it be before this green space suddenly turns into a ball fields complex?
4. Is this why the Evansville City Council member from the 3rd Ward has suddenly changed her opinion on Roberts Stadium these past few months? How much of this plan has been discussed by our city leaders these past few months without the public knowing? And how involved has the previous ECVB and mayor's administration been in this project these past few months?
5. Why has the public NEVER EVER been allowed to discuss alternative sites for these ball fields? Why are we suppose to rely on David Dunn's investigation of other places like Kleymeyer Park?
What offends me the most about this plan is that it is now becoming apparent that no one in our government still understands how to build a national, not a regional, ball fields plan. I have talked until I'm blue in the face about the benefits of building at Kleymeyer such as the following...
- The ball fields would be designed to replicate vintage MLB ballparks. In fact, there is a company who already does this taxpayer free...
http://www.bigleaguedreams.com/corporate/park-development
- The ball fields would draw from a national market not a regional market because they would be competing with the ball fields complex built by Cal Ripken Jr. in Aberdeen, Maryland, the ball fields complex built in Cooperstown, New York, and the ball fields complex getting ready to be built in Dyersville, Iowa next to the Field of Dreams.
How can we compete with these complexes? By marketing Don Mattingly's youth baseball field, by marketing historic Bosse Field, and by marketing the film "A League of Their Own."
- The ball fields would be in a true "recovery zone."
- The ball fields would be straight down Main Street from the Ford Center and our soon to be built taxpayer subsidized hotel.
- The ball fields could use seats from Roberts Stadium when its floor is raised.
- The ball fields would allow the Otters to produce extra sponsorship revenue and concession stand revenue at Bosse Field on off days.
- The ball fields would be at the corner of Diamond & First, two baseball terms.
- The ball fields would be an instant cash cow for Bob Walthers' Golf-N-Fun.
- The ball fields, like the Wesselman Park plan, would be one road and the Lloyd Expressway away from the east side.
- The ball fields can tap into Kleymeyer Park's methane gas to generate its own electricity.
- The ball fields would allow us to take advantage of our already constructed Greenway.
Not only would we be enjoying these great perks from a ball fields project at Kleymeyer Park, we would also be enjoying many revenue generating events from Roberts Stadium. Let me very clear, if Roberts Stadium is demolished, we will probably never see...
- BMX Tours
- minor league basketball
- Evansville Rage Indoor Football in a competitive environment
- Evansville Crush Indoor Soccer in a place with room to grow
- Mid-sized concerts
- Professional indoor lacrosse
- Trade shows such as the Boat Show which has been gone from Evansville for some time now because there is no suitable venue
- The lost SMG jobs and the economic development for businesses such as Kipplee's, Turoni's, and Western Rib-Eye
- High school basketball tournaments that have made Indiana basketball second to none.
- College basketball tournaments with teams such as USI
- Anything that would involve USI Basketball such as the tournament games or regular season games, but most notably the GLVC tournament which would bring in $100,000 alone before even considering visitors following the tournament...
http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-7017-ncaa-basketball-comes-to-springfield.html
And you can also forget the intangible benefits such as...
- A disaster relief area
- An indoor Greenway Trail Hub
- A shuttle stop for the Ford Center
Is that what Evansville wants? I don't believe so as this town has displayed yard sign after sign expressing their opposition to the ball fields at Wesselman Park and their support for Roberts Stadium. This has also been displayed time and time again at every single public meeting that has been hosted about either of these topics.
It's important to understand that any political leader who goes down the ball fields path once more will be defeated next election. Any political leader who demolishes a healthy Roberts Stadium, which the public saw firsthand a few weeks ago and were outraged by Dave Rector's theatrics, will have a lot of explaining to do and the public won't be interested in hearing excuses.
Given all of that, I am fully committed to fighting the ball fields project on the Roberts Stadium site as I am deeply offended by this proposal and I imagine you are too. I, like you, am sick and tired of half baked ideas getting recycled over and over again while great ideas and projects such as Roberts Stadium never get the time or day from city leaders unless the whole town comes out and demands it (which is what has happened for Roberts Stadium. Thank you everyone!).
We have seen what the public thinks about the ball fields project. We have seen what the public wants for Roberts Stadium after rejecting Dave Rector's tour that only showed ticky-tack problems with Roberts Stadium. The only thing we haven't seen is a well drawn out and thought out plan for cleaning up and redeveloping the Bosse Field district by any political leader or ECVB official.
Sorry ECVB, the public doesn't want your ball fields project. They want Roberts Stadium!
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