I heard the Softball folks appeared before the Parks and Recreation Board. One of the things the Board learned is that the five diamonds the EC needs for parking happen to be the “larger” diamonds.
Without them, McCart Field will only work for the Slowpitch leagues with kids age 8-under. The Fastpitch people spoke as well and I am told went on record saying they don’t have the existing diamond space to absorb any displaced Slowpitch leagues. Right now, 1527 kids are registered for Slowpitch. 1155 play at McCart, the rest play on the 3 diamonds where Burnside, 6th St, West Ave meet.
I guess you have to sacrifice something when you are driven to complete one's vision. I just wonder what CIP projects are also going to be sacrificed when the financial package is put together.
But that is another blog.
McCart Fields were meant to honor Earl McCart, the City's Park Commissioner for 20 years!! They should not be used for Asphalt and Parking! If they are made into 800 parking spaces, the people using them will have to cross Western Avenue(arterial Street) and Madison Ave., just to get to the Event Center. Thats 2,000 to 2,500 hundred people endangering their lives...The City spent Millions of Dollars 13 to 14 years ago to move Western Ave. because it was to dangerous for Arena and Ballfield goers to cross...The City is not thinking clearly if they build at the Arena location!!!
ReplyDeleteThe McCart family is against the idea 100% and I don't think they will hesitate to make their case as to why.
ReplyDeletePlan B for the Arena if they don't go after McCart is one of the following:
A. Buy the houses on the block between Lyndale & Holly. Minimum cost: $6.5 million
B. Buy the businesses along Russell and add a skywalk. Minimum cost: $10 million
C. Build a ramp. Minimum cost: $15 million
And any one of those have no opportunity to initiate any kind of fee-based program to help pay back the costs since there is zero demand for non-event parking in the Arena neighborhood.
When you consider that the City has to own the railyard property downtown when the relocation project is done in 2014 and at that point the only Events Center related expense would be the paving costs for the 1200 spots that would go in behind it = $3 million tops using the same numbers the City's design team is using.
I believe the Arena/CC is located in the 100 year floodplain, but that might change with the raising of the levees?
ReplyDeleteZero demand for non-event parking in the Arena neighborhood....why isn't this issue talked about more. Zero revenue when there is no event out there. At least downtown there is a way to generate revenue from those parking places.
ReplyDelete