Convention Center For Balloon Tract?
Robert Neefus wrote this opinion piece that appeared in both the Times- Standard and Eureka Reporter today. He doesn't think a Home Depot would be a proper use for the now vacant Balloon Tract, on the waterfront in Eureka, and that more imagination is needed. His suggestion: a 10,000 seat convention/ conference center topped off by putting Eureka City Hall on top of it. That's not the first time we've heard a call for a convention center for Eureka but it's the first time I've heard someone suggest putting Eureka City Hall on top of one. Now that's imaginative!
Nope. First, City Hall is fine where it is. If it works, don't try and fix it; at least City Hall is already paid for. He makes at least one good point, though: We don't need more hotel rooms, we need more people to occupy hotel rooms. But his idea belongs with the sell- trinkets- to- tourists approach to improving the local economy and I've been more than just skeptical of that.
Would a convention center draw the kind of numbers to the county that Neefus suggests? I don't think many clubs, organizations or businesses would choose someplace like Humboldt for a convention. It's too far away from the rest of the world. I know that when the Libertarian Party of California has conventions they're held in either the northern or southern part of the state on alternating years. When the convention is held up north, and by north they usually mean Sacramento or Santa Clara counties, mostly just the people living within easy driving distance would show up. Same with when they held it in the south.
I don't think it would draw a big enough crowd to make it worthwhile. That's usually the case with these government subsidized sports stadiums and other projects taxpayers are talked into. They generally take more money in taxes than they bring in revenue. If a bunch of people want to voluntarily pitch in enough money to build a convention center, have at it. I'd love to see it. But this idea is way too risky for the use of taxpayer's money.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:09 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
straighten out the roads going to humboldt county, make the area business friendly and you will see a change i.e. more people will be able to get there. Goods and services will also become cheaper and thus will bring in more people and more businesses who will want to become members of the community and will stay there to help improve the local economy. Why don't the people get it? The hippies get it, that's why they fight capitalism so hard.
Straightening out the roads will help, especially the area between Leggett and Piercy, which is the worst section as far as I'm concerned. Sounds like there is some plan for that in the works. Don't know how successful that will be, though.
Still, we're a long ways away from the rest of the world.
I don't get it: You say to make the area more business friendly and that the hippies get it and that's why they fight capitalism so hard. Not sure what you mean?
At HSU and on the arcata plaza there is a lot of anti-capitalist rhetoric. Most of the hippies and ultra-eco-people like a simple way of life and feel capitalism is a threat, thus they fight it so hard when a local issue comes up.
If I'm not clear enough, talk to the typical plazoid or HSU student in regards to their view on capitalism and the economy.
its a cartel system to prevent anyone new coming in to compete, just look at that stupid retail ordinance they almost passed!
oh, I've had business owners up there confirm that. it's a select few that own most of the buildings around the plaza. They need an apocalypse so that change can take place. right now it's the same fat, greedy swine getting rich while the rest suffer through oppressive stagnation.
Yes, I am oppressed shopping on the Arcata Plaza. The Man keeps me down by giving me alternatives, like a Macintosh store or a record store that sells real vinyl, or a fudge shop that has the audacity to sell real fudge. Fat, greedy swine own the buildings and their psychic mind rays crash my Mac and scratch my records and make the fudge taste funny. Goddammit. The Man keeps me in a perpetual state of confusion so that I'll never have the fortitude to open a business in any of the numerous retail and office spaces for rent in Arcata. I say it again. Goddammit.
sarcasm...well played *clap clap clap*
Bravo, go drink bleach and get fired from another job. Two degrees and all you can do is wash dishes, and you aren't even good at that. What a waste of taxpayer's money.
It's one degree, a double major in theater and religious studies. The Humanities don't pay well in our society...you and your anonymous ilk kind of explain why. Hey, I got an idea. Come to my blog and bash me there....if you're brave enough.
Open it up and you might get traffic, lock it down like the little control freak you are and I'm not going to post there. Aren't you the one that bitched the loudest when you got banned from a forum for being an ass and making threats and trying to control someone else's forum?
I moderate comments. I post opposing views but if someone is a potty mouth then I reject the comment. My blog is for intellectual discussion, not trash talk receptacles which is unfortunately what you've managed to turn Fred and BT's blogs into. Yet, Fred is a much bigger man than you so I doubt it will deter him or his blog.
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