While Mayor Perkins and GPAC2012 continue plans for a publicly funded 3000 seat downtown performing arts center to be built at taxpayers' expense, a certain downtown developer named Issac Cain is forging ahead with plans to build the Greensboro Triumph Center, a 4000 seat downtown PAC with attached Hilton Hotel, 3D IMAX theaters, skating rink, bowling, indoor rock climbing, video arcades and more including on-site parking while promising performers like James Taylor, Sting, Bon Jovi, Vanessa Williams, Natalie Cole and others through arrangements with Booking Entertainment.
Of course, that means that downtown Greensboro will become the worst possible location for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center. The proposed GPAC can't even begin to match the amenities offered by the Triumph Center-- no way, no how!
Mr Cain claims to already have $15 Million Dollars of private funding in an account at Morgan Stanley Smith and Barney but as the downtowners' planned GPAC is estimated to cost $72 Million, I can't help but wonder if Cain plans to use private funding or if this is an effort to grab the funding designated for the proposed GPAC.
I can't argue with a downtown performing arts center built entirely by the private sector with 100% private funding. I wish Mr Cain would consider the much less costly little green circle but if he's spending only private funds then he can build anywhere he can buy the land.
Which leads me to wonder, why build a PAC downtown on the most expensive land in the entire county when everything a visitor might want is under one roof? After all, Great Wolf Lodge which is smaller than Mr Cain's project, has no performing arts center and isn't located in anyone's downtown.
Update: Okay, so I did a little snooping around and it appears that according to the NC Secretary of State Mr Cain's company, Exempt Inc., has been suspended from doing business as of June 10, 2005. Perhaps the company's status will be updated soon.
Continue to article #82. Asking BookingEntertainment.com.
