We're Getting A Green Space, Now We Need A Mid-Size Arena

http://www.courierpress.com/photos/2012/apr/16/111818/

It now appears that those who believe that our city needs a new green space are going to get their wish. Thankfully, this wish is going to be granted on a lot that doesn't contain Roberts Stadium. Yesterday, the Courier & Press gave us a glimpse of what these new green spaces along US 41 will look like...

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/apr/16/keep-evansville-beautifull-focuses-on-city/?partner=popular


http://www.courierpress.com/photos/2012/apr/16/111825/

Photo Credit: Hafer Associates via CourierPress.com

Although there are many who disagree with investing in US 41's gateways, I am not one of them. I fully support this project. I'm glad to see that our city is investing in US 41, a road that is actually producing jobs, instead of the the I-164/I-69 corridor which is nothing but urban sprawl. From this project, I would like to see the city create an "Old US 41" gateway at the fork between new and old US 41 which is slightly south of the jail. From there, we can begin yet another urban renewal project with a tech-park inside the area...

http://evansvillemovingforward.blogspot.com/2011/09/commissioner-winneckes-tech-park-good.html

I fully support the work Keep Evansville Beautiful is doing. I have been working with former director Ann Ennis on building a Joseph Copello Memorial at Garvin Park. They are doing a great job introducing Evansville to 21st century green development and urban planning.

With that being said, I am advocating for our city to treat Roberts Stadium like they are the green spaces on US 41, not to treat the green spaces on US 41 like Roberts Stadium has been treated. You see, the green spaces have gone a much different route than Roberts Stadium has gone. We did not see the following...

1. There was no task force assembled to study ALL of the ideas for the lot that previously held the old airport.

2. A mid-sized arena was not considered an alternative to the green space idea for the lot.

3. There was no city council person on a task force claiming that both a green space and arena should be considered equally for the lot as was the case with our task force.

4. There was no one claiming that the decision of what to do with the lot should be done without emotion and should contain financial logic.

5. In fact, there were no financial figures given to construct the lot outside of the sculpture that will be placed in another location (this sculpture is a good idea as it will give a lasting impression of Evansville). This sculpture, with a price tag of $176,000, is about the same price as fixing Roberts Stadium's roof and demolishing the precast seating areas above ground.

6. If you look at the dimensions of the old airport lot (use the ruler toolbar on the top left)...

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=38.035536&lon=-87.5382949&z=18&l=0&m=b&gz=0;-875395234;380344818;6062;1225;0;20323;26554;18759;27144;0;6437;1352

And then you look at the dimensions of the parking lot behind Roberts Stadium...

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=37.979381&lon=-87.5142892&z=18&l=0&m=b&gz=0;-875147237;379786368;17435;16067;17059;0;322;296;0;2452

You will see that they are almost EXACTLY the same size (roughly 2,800 ft perimeter). Yet, Tri-State Aero and Dunn's new hotel, which border the US 41 green space, are not being demolished to make room for the green space. This begs the question: Why can't Roberts Stadium and a green space co-exist as well?

7. There are no figures given for how many out-of-town residents that will come to Evansville just to tour this green space.

8. There are no sources of revenue for this green space.

9. There is no economic impact predicted to be felt by the nearby restaurants of this green space.

10. No one ever complained that this lot should be sold to the private sector.

Obviously, what we are witnessing is yet another example of our city acting one way on a project they support and then acting another way on a project they don't support. If our city leaders handled the Roberts Stadium situation like they are the green space project on US 41, we'd already have a mid-size arena hosting multiple events, creating revenue for the nearby restaurants, and generating more than enough income to take care of itself. Our Ford Center would have would be co-branded and co-marketed with Roberts Stadium and our Bosse Field district would be well on its way to getting a new lease on life with the ball fields project breaking ground at Kleymeyer Park.

We're seeing our city commit to improving Evansville with this green space project. We are watching them create a green space that is almost identical in size to Roberts Stadium's back lot. We are also watching them accomplish this by cutting through the red tape that normally accompanies this type of project.

Our city understands that Dunn Hospitality's hotel can co-exist with a green space yet are baffled at the thought that Roberts Stadium and a green space of the same size can do the exact same thing. Our city understands the intangible value that a green space will bring to the US 41 corridor yet refuses to acknowledge the financial benefits of a mid-sized Roberts Stadium much less the three intangible benefits it brings to the table.

We now have a green space on its way for our city. Now it's time that our government realized the benefits of a mid-size arena. It's about time we SAVED ROBERTS STADIUM!