Councilman Tom Didier, R-3rd
Councilman Tim Pape, D-5th
Councilman Glynn Hines, D-6th
Councilman John Crawford, R-at large
A message to Tom, Tim, Glynn and Crawfish. A yes vote for the stadium will be considered an indication you no longer want to serve in the best interest of the people that elected you.
No partisan politics – here just the facts.
A yes vote for the Harrison Square project in it’s present form will put Fort Wayne in a position to do nothing more than line the pockets of Chris Schoen and Jason Frier of Hardball Capital. The Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana say a stadium will stop the brain drain of software developers and engineers. What the hell are they talking about. When’s the last time a geek you know came up to you and started discussing Wizard’s baseball; or any baseball for that matter?
Deputy Mayor Mark Becker is insisting on a vote by May 1st from a city council that will not likely be around when the dust settles.
What will Frier and Schoen get? A $30 million dollar stadium for $5 million and the ability to keep the majority of the stadiums revenues. In addition, the Wizards’ value will increase by 150-400% and then it will be time for them to sellout and the new owners will not be beholden to the city for existing agreements on the stadium. Frier and Schoen are not from Fort Wayne, they’re from Atlanta. Frier is an attorney who’s only motivation is the return on his investment - period.
The attendance last year was *148,329 averaging only 2089 per game and the team has never won a championship playoff. Frier and Schoen say the new stadium will sellout every game.
* The Dayton stadium has sold out nearly 500 consecutive games and property values have not gone up, and downtown office vacancies are about 50 percent. The one new restaurant has closed.
This part is AMAZING. The Wizards expect the new stadium to have attendance of 360,000 in announced ticket sales. Lets do some math here. If the Wizards play 72 home games and the stadium has 5000 seats. 72 x 5000 = 360,000.
They are projecting sellouts to every game!
Go ahead, vote yes. We’ll have a pink elephant sitting downtown in a few years. Then the city will find itself negotiating with new owners for a different deal with the threat of the team moving to another town if they don’t get their way. Sound familiar?
Posted by AWB
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I’ve voted for Mr. Crawford in the past. If he votes for the HS deal that’s the last vote he’ll get of mine.
PERSONNEL FILE: John Crawford
Position: At-Large City Council Member
Species: Changeling / Flip-flopper
Given Name: Crawfish
Source:
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/characters/DS9/bio/1112442.html
The stadium vote notwithstanding, I’ve already decided I won’t vote for John Crawford.
I’m tired of so-called “conservative” Republicans forcing their will on area businesses. First they force local restaurants to designate separate smoking areas (at the owners expense). Now they’re outlawing smoking altogether (so much for the separate areas already paid for – hmm, sounds just like the stadium issue – it’s okay as long as it’s someone else’s money). I’d be seething if I owned a restaurant. Talk about a waste of energy and profit margins! No wonder Fort Wayne is struggling to attract new businesses.
I’m not a smoker myself but I’ve never been inconvenienced by those who do. I simply take my brood to family-friendly establishments where smoking isn’t an issue. Watch out Fort Wayne. Next they’ll outlaw smoking on public property to disperse the “loitering” smokers who gather on sidewalks since they can’t be within 20 feet of a building.
Harrison Square is just the next opportunity for the Few to impose their will on the Many.
Tim Pape… (excuse me while I snot some coffee on the keyboard from the uproarious laughter)…BWAHAHAHA!
That guy (for YEARS) never returned my emails with concerns in my area (HIS district)…in fact, I was blocked (he changes email addys like others change SOCKS)…so much for neighborhood “involvement”! And he needs lessons in public speaking (regarding the “uh” factor and BREVITY…keep it PITHY, Timmy-Boy…tryin’ to stay AWAKE, here).
Glynn Hines….all for HIS people….screw anyone else (but he won’t ever admit to that), and managed to get the FWPD walking on eggs as a result…thanks, Glynn…way to “improve” a blighted area! His “State of the 6th district” is STILL one of my favorite “comedy shows” of this year (even more than the Ostrogni vids)!
Tom Didier…sure ain’t the guy JIM was…he’s ONLY got the name. He needs to get IN TOUCH with some REAL people (like those Jim knew in the neighborhood, before he was senselessly gunned down at his store by some asshole). THINKING instead of being led by the nose in council might help too.
John Crawford…likes to chase windmills, dictate policy, and has turned me 180 degrees about from when he FIRST took the council seat. He used to have good ideas and brought accurate facts and figures to the table. Now, he’s just looking for his Sancho Panza.
At least Dee Dee Hall had more balls than most of these “men”.
But hey, that’s just MY opinion.
B.G.