I often disagree with the Argus Ed board, but I won’t make this an argument about differing ideas. I would partially agree to the idea if we sold the building as is and a private hotel came in and tore it down for another hotel, but I do not agree to using tax dollars to tearing down a building that is still functional and structurally sound.
Instead of hiring consultants and outside counsel every time the city has to make a ‘tough’ decision, why not use common sense instead?
Common sense would have told us we should have built the Convention Center downtown instead. Common sense would have told us we should have built the EC downtown instead. Common sense would have told us to build the indoor pool at the Sanford Sports Complex and lastly common sense would have told us it is better to lease city office space than to build a $25 million dollar fortress we don’t need.
Common sense tells us that the best solution for the Arena is to auction off the seats and other outdated performance gear, put in a false lowered ceiling and use it as convention center floor space. We could probably pay for it with the proceeds from the auction and it would serve us well.
I have never understood this mentality of blowing a bunch of money on consultants and lawyers to justify spending gobs of money to tear down a city structure that is functional as is.
The Arena is a classic example of mid century architecture. To much of the architecture from that era has already been lost. It would be a shame to tear it down. Plus, the siding has held up quite well on that structure…. So shouldn’t that be worth something or a reason for saving the structure?
The arena should be preserved. Huether used levee funds for the Events Center. When there’s spring flooding, this can be an emergency homeless shelter like the Superdome was for Katrina.
You continually shoot yourself in the foot out of the gate by bitching about building the EC downtown again and again. Secondly you have NO Clue about putting in a false ceiling and/or being able to pay for it with a junk auction.
I can tell you right now it is moronic to put a false ceiling in this building. It will be far cheaper to knock it down that to retrofit it for any other use than being a arena. Thats what the “experts” will report and charge us suckers $25K for a “expert review”.
I agree. We pay way too many government directors to read emails and hire consultants.
Should make it into a mosque.
Proceeds to sell those crappy old wooden seats? bahahaha! you can’t be serious? You would have to pay a ton of labor just to have them removed
Yeah, ask a couple of friends about the thousands of dollars they made from the library auction and the crappy 70’s furniture they re-sold.
I agree about putting in a ceiling in the arena, but let you not make it a false one. Put in real levels and floors. The bottom level can be the facility that Mr. E desires, and the top levels can be rented out for old folk homes, homeless shelters to churches, and other things that are downtown now but should get moved out to the fringes.
What did it cost the taxpayers to retrofit the Arena for Mike’s buddy, Rob Oliver, and his Augustana bb players?
“other things that are downtown now but should get moved out to the fringes”
Yeah, nothing says “vibrant downtown nightlife” like assisted living/retirement apartments housed in a tin Morton building & within walking distance of zero amenities that housebound seniors need (grocery, pharmacy, etc).