The Greensboro City Council recently added a bond referendum to the November 2012 election ballot proposing to spend as much as $72 Million Dollars to build a downtown performing arts center. Some people would prefer that the performing arts center be placed in the already monstrous Greensboro Coliseum Complex. continue reading...
2. Location, Location, Location
Proponents of a downtown performing arts center will make the claim that downtown is more convenient than the site chosen for an East Greensboro Performing Arts Center. Here's mileages and distances from various points throughout Guilford County and Greensboro to both sites as calculated via Google Maps. continue reading...
3. But What About Crime In East Greensboro?
I don't know the actual numbers but the general perception around Greensboro is that the East Greensboro site where I'm proposing the Greensboro Performing Arts Center be built is in a very high crime area. continue reading...
4. Greensboro Performing Arts: Public Or Private
Should the management of the East Greensboro Performing Arts Center be public or private? Proponents of a downtown performing arts center want to make the center 100% public and place it under the control of Matt Brown who has controlled that money pit, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, for many years. I know it sounds crazy but by law: the Greensboro Coliseum Complex can never become profitable. continue reading...
5. Woah! Not So Fast!
Allen Johnson of the Greensboro News & Record has some concerns that the City of Greensboro is moving too fast in their effort to build a Greensboro Performing Arts Center. I think he's right. continue reading...
6. But The Rich Elite Won't Come To East Greensboro
That's an argument I've heard several times when pitching my idea for an East Greensboro Performing Arts Center on Phillips Ave. Is it true? Are Greensboro's well-to-do so classist and possibly racist, they would not attend shows at a performing arts center located anywhere other than Matt Brown's fiefdom, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex or the Mayor's anointed downtown location? continue reading...
7. Let's Learn About The Area
Below is a map set to a 0.3 mile radius around the proposed site for the East Greensboro Performing Arts Center. In the coming days we will learn all about this area and everything it has to offer the City of Greensboro. continue reading...
8. Performing Arts As Economic Stimulus
That's the excuse being pitched by proponents of a downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center-- that spending taxpayers' dollars on building another building in downtown Greensboro will attract visitors to the city and stimulate the downtown economy.
But what about the rest of Greensboro, shouldn't we share in the "wealth" too? continue reading...
9. The Randall Jarrell Performing Arts Center
Randall Jarrell was a UNC-Greensboro professor, poet, literary critic, children's author, essayist, and novelist. He was also the 11th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress or, as referred to today, Poet Laureate of the United States of America. He was the first man of color to be crowned US Poet Laureate. Jarrell was one of the most loved children's poets of his day. continue reading...
10. Who Said Anything About A Subsidy?
Look, I know it will require some taxpayer dollars to build the The Randall Jarrell Performing Arts Center but unlike the proposed downtown performing arts center, if we can't make a profit then there's no need to build it. continue reading...
11. Aesthetics And Architecture
I don't have much to say about the aesthetics and architecture of the The Randall Jarrell Performing Arts Center suffice to say that it should be beautiful and not just another brick and concrete box-- the only type of architecture that Greensboro's downtown proponents seem able to produce based on everything that's been built downtown for say, the last 50 years. continue reading...
12. Task Force To Weigh Benefits Of New Greensboro Performing Arts Center
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro has been asked by the Greensboro City Council to "convene a task force that will study the benefits of constructing a new state-of-the-art performing arts center." continue reading...
13. What Kind Of Fool?
An old song comes to mind...
Many have already dismissed my idea to bring The Randall Jarrell Performing Arts Center to East Greensboro. They'll tell you I'm a fool to try, an insane wacko seeking publicity, a struggling half-baked, brain dead author trying to sell a few books... There's really no telling what they might say about me. continue reading...
14. Esse Quam Videri
I admit, I had to google, "Esse quam videri" to know that it meant "To be, rather than to seem (to be)" when Roch used the phrase in a thread at EdCone.com. Back in the day, Latin wasn't taught in my East Greensboro high school. continue reading...
15. East Greensboro Performing Arts Center Volunteers Needed
I'm in need of some help in getting the East Greensboro Performing Arts Center project up and moving. continue reading...
16. But What About The Children?
Proponents of a downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center are quick to point out that with all the parking garages available in downtown, that there is plenty of parking available-- at night. continue reading...
17. The New Press Release Is Online
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro issued a press release yesterday then pulled it from the Internet. Today a new press release takes its place. The key difference,
18. The Hotel Myth
Proponents of a downtown performing arts center will tell you that by building the PAC downtown, those who attend shows will stay in our downtown "luxury hotels" but the same thing was said about the downtown Greensboro Civil Rights Museum. Only, it didn't work out that way. continue reading...
19. SS Different Project
While I'm busy trying to garner support for an East Greensboro Performing Arts Center, the people actually making the decisions are up to their same old dirty tricks and back room deals. continue reading...
20. Not Set In Stone
I picked the area inside the green circle as a possible site for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center because the City of Greensboro owns much of the property there and because there will be little resistance from property owners within the circle. continue reading...
21. Greensboro Performing Arts Center: A Room With A View
Are you wondering what the area chosen for an East Greensboro Performing Arts Center looks like compared to a downtown Greensboro PAC? For now, Google maps is the best I can do. Here's the location I'm shooting for with lots of lovely trees, streams and parks within 0.3 of a mile. continue reading...
22. Greensboro Performing Arts Center: For Them, It's About Profit
Proponents, especially those in charge of the effort to bring a PAC to downtown Greensboro, are in the game for one reason-- profits. They own land in downtown Greensboro, they want its value to go up and don't mind spending your money to do it. continue reading...
23. Greensboro Performing Arts Center: Apples To Apples
UNCG Professor David Wharton writes,
"If we put the PAC at the Coliseum, the best-case scenario is that we'll have a good performance venue that's easy to drive to, park at, and drive home from. Good, but not great. It won't put Greensboro on anybody's map of cool places to visit, and I think we need more added value than that." continue reading...
24. But What About Greensboro's Performing Artists?
Along about 50 years ago, the people of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater, Washington saw a need for a community performing arts center.
"They envisioned a place where local singers, dancers, musicians and actors could perform on a top-quality stage. A place that performing arts teachers could use to inspire their students and where our young people could find the self-confidence to perform in front of family and friends." continue reading...
25. Will Martinsville Beat Greensboro To The Punch?
It has just come to my attention via, Lynn Pritchett, of We Are Indie that construction of a 20,000 square foot, downtown Martinsville Performing Arts Center in an existing building is already underway in nearby Martinsville, Virginia about 40 minutes to the north of Greensboro and will likely be finished before Greensboro's Performing Arts Center even breaks ground. continue reading...
26. But It's A High Crime Area
Proponents of a downtown Greensboro performing arts center like to use the excuse that the area in the green circle is a high crime area where no one would attend shows. If that's true then the crime rate is high because the City of Greensboro hasn't made enough of an effort to control crime in the area. continue reading...
27. Downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center: The Lies Never Cease
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex has lost money every year since its inception circa 1958. How many $Millions did we-the-people kick in?
The Greensboro Civil Rights Museum was predicted to lure in 200,000 people per year. 40,000 showed up. How many $Millions did we-the-people kick in? continue reading...
28. The Grocery Store Ain't Coming
A lot of people have long hoped we'd see a grocery store move into the abandoned Bessemer Shopping Center. The City of Greensboro bought the shopping center with "intentions" of doing just that but long before the City spent our tax dollars to buy the shopping center, Greensboro City Councilwoman, Goldie Wells, who represented the district at the time, said in a 2004 News & Record article. continue reading...
29. Greensboro Performing Arts: The People Who Call The Shots
The Greensboro Performing Arts Center will be managed by a group of people hand picked by Greensboro's downtown investors. Here is the list of people with hands in your pockets. Tell them to bring the Greensboro Performing Arts Center to the little green circle because the grocery store ain't coming until they build the PAC in the little green circle. continue reading...
30. Asking the Citizens for Economic & Environmental Justice For Help
I'm sending the following e-mail to the Citizens for Economic & Environmental Justice: continue reading...
31. Asking The Rhino Times
I'm sending the following e-mail to John Hammer of The Rhino Times in hopes of soliciting his help in bringing the PAC to the little green circle instead of downtown Greensboro. John grew up in the Aycock neighborhood not far from my East Greensboro neighborhood and like myself, is a lifelong resident of Greensboro. continue reading...
32. What's Wrong With This Picture?
The City of Greensboro recently retired the debt incurred for the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Or did they? No one seems to know. And we're about to give control of the City's greatest gem to Matt Brown and the same folks who don't know? continue reading...
33. Tax The Poor To Entertain The Rich
The News & Record ran a story yesterday on the Greensboro Partnership and their Greensboro Partnership 2012 Strategic Plan. continue reading...
34. It's About Jobs
That's what we always hear when downtown boosters talk about funding for downtown projects with taxpayers dollars. Problem is: Greensboro hasn't added any jobs since 1999. continue reading...
35. 1000 Acres Of Nothing
That's what the effort to close the White Street Landfill got East Greensboro. 1000 acres of no development, no jobs, no future, no arts, no new schools, no education and no hope. We might as well be trying to speed up the Earth for all the good closing the landfill did for the most of northeast Greensboro. Heck, most folks living in East Greensboro didn't even know the landfill was there until it became an issue city wide. continue reading...
36. Greensboro Partnership Lying To Build The Downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center?
In Guilford County, nearly 24,500 didn't have jobs
...both Guilford and the state ended 2011 with more people unemployed than was the case the previous December. continue reading...
37. Greensboro, Greensboro, Greensboro!
From the Environmental Protection Agency:
ATLANTA — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Greensboro, NC will receive technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. Nationally, 56 communities in 26 states will each receive the assistance from EPA-funded private-sector experts. The technical experts will work with the communities on actions they can take to improve the economy, the environment, and quality of life. Some examples may include improving pedestrian access and safety, incorporating green infrastructure, or conducting an economic and fiscal health assessment. continue reading...
38. Oops! It Leaked Out!
On behalf of The Greensboro Partnership, a nonprofit, taxpayer funded organization dedicated "to serve as the principal economic and community development organization in Greensboro, NC.", Garner Economics LLC produced the following economic study titled, Local Specialization, Competitiveness & Growth as part of the lead-up to the Greensboro Strategic Plan which, among other things, call for a sales tax increase to fund entertainment and development for the rich But for some unknown reason the following document is not being made available to the public. Why? continue reading...
39. Confirmation bias
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Confirmation bias (also called confirmatory bias, myside bias or verification bias) is a tendency of people to favor information that confirms their beliefs or hypotheses.[Note 1][1] People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs. For example, in reading about gun control, people usually prefer sources that affirm their existing attitudes. They also tend to interpret ambiguous continue reading...
40. Yes Weekly Supports East Greensboro Performing Arts Center
Okay, so the headline isn't exactly true but in his article, ´Green shoots,´ creative destruction, Jordan Green lays out facts supporting my argument that Greensboro's Performing Arts Center should be located inside little green circle and not downtown. continue reading...
41. What's Wrong With This Picture?
Here are snippets from the 3 most recent articles I've found concerning plans to build a Greensboro Performing Arts Center. Read all three articles and see if you can find what is missing, what isn't being talked about. continue reading...
42. Short On Time
Proponents of a downtown performing arts center are meeting today for the first time to try and plan out a scheme to get Greensboro voters to approve a bond to be placed on the November ballot.
Eric Ginsburg of Yes Weekly writes continue reading...
43. This Issue Has Become One Of Civic Pride
The title is part of a comment by an anonymous and apparently not so proud commenter on my recent thread, What's Wrong With This Picture? But what does civic pride really mean? continue reading...
44. Greensboro Performing Arts Center: The Soul Of Our Community
Here's the play by play on the latest propaganda supporting the downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center from today's News & Record article, Performing arts center task force starts work. continue reading...
45. Greensboro Tax Dollars Spent To Spread Lies
The City of Greensboro, via the Greensboro Partnership, is spending over $100,000.oo in taxpayer dollars for a "month-long media blitz of television, radio, print and online ads aimed at building public support for a new [PAC].” continue reading...
46. John Amberg On The East Greensboro Performing Arts Center
Local radio personality and Piedmont Blues Society supporter, John Amberg comments on the Mayor's efforts to ramrod a performing arts center into downtown Greensboro. I've taken Mr Amberg's comments slightly out of context here but the meaning remains the same. continue reading...
47. East Greensboro Needs A Face Lift Too
Local writer, Tim W Flowers, opines,
"Much attention is given to the coliseum and to our center city, but rarely is anything said about the face we present to the traveling public. Maybe it's because, as residents, we can usually stay off the highways and still get around quite well. It becomes an "out of site, out of mind" situation. continue reading...
48. Greensboro Economic Development Or Smoke And Mirrors?
Read it in the Greensboro News & Record today. My neighbor is out of town so I pick up his paper while he's gone. What? Me pay for their propaganda? No way!
I'd like to think Councilman Zack Matheny is on the up and up with his proposal to add a $20 Million Dollar economic development bond to the November ballot along side the $30 Performing Arts Center Bond that is already being pitched by Mayor "Pave-it" Perkins. continue reading...
49. Before Greensboro Destroyed My Home
I live in the community once known as Bessemer. My family bought our home in 1958 when I was 2 years old. My first memory is of driving to our home on an oiled gravel road in Daddy's black '56 Pontiac and my mother telling my younger brother and I, "This is our new home." continue reading...
50. More Empty Promises?
Professor David Wharton writes,
"We already have $134,108,500 in approved (2008) bond projects that are still outstanding, which were slated to be completed "in 5 to 7 years". Four years later, the majority of big projects have not yet reached the design phase, and none of them has been completed. In fact, as I understand it, most of the bonds for these projects have not yet been sold. Many neighborhoods have been waiting patiently for the improvements that the public approved in 2008. continue reading...
51. Greensboro's Fine Line
Brian Clarey of Yes! Weekly makes us aware of the following quote from Councilman Zack Matheny on the Greensboro Natural Science Center.
“There’s a fine line between being conservative and fiscally responsible, and not investing in your community,” continued Matheny, who has two boys. “This is an investment, and it’s an investment that makes sense. It’s an investment that’s going to be amazing. It’s an investment that’s going to bring 10-, 20-fold to our economic development in our community, and 40-fold to the kids that are going to come here. So it’s very easy to support.” continue reading...
52. Greensboro Performing Arts: Nothing Can Compare To The Little Green Circle
In northern Virginia they've heard the news of Greensboro's downward spiral but the Greensboro City Council spends it's time working to shut down the clubs and bars after the City of Greensboro spent $Millions of your Dollars to get them to come here.
Make sense to you? Me neither. continue reading...
53. DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center Rated #9
The Durham Performing Arts Center has risen to become the 9th most attended performing arts center in the United States. That means, if Greensboro's movers and shakers plan to best Durham then they're going to need more space than downtown has to offer. That is, unless a lot of downtown business owners are prepared to be bulldozed. continue reading...
54. Making My Point For Me
From today's Greensboro News & Record:
“We have to regain a significant amount of the ground we have lost,” Powell said. “A game changer would be a project that could potentially bring thousands of jobs.” In recent months, Powell has touted two such possibilities: • Identifying and developing what he calls a mega-site, a tract of about 2,000 acres that would be suitable for an aviation, auto or other large manufacturing operation. Likely sites include land near Linwood in Davidson County and Liberty in Randolph continue reading...
55. No Room At The Inn
Proponents of a downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center recently cited 5 sites as possible locations. Meanwhile, there's no parking spaces at the new jail set to open May 1st. While Greensboro City Council and downtown "movers and shakers" continue to live their fantasy with their heads in the clouds, the Guilford County Commissioners are stuck with stark reality: continue reading...
56. Greensboro Garbage Comes Back In 15 Years
Many residents wanted Greensboro's White Street Landfill to be closed once and for all. Others wanted it to remain open to municipal waste and to be privatized. I advocated a modern waste 2 energy plant on the 1000 acre White Street location. Ultimately, the Greensboro City Council voted to close the White Street Landfill to all but C&D (Construction and Demolition) waste and ship Greensboro's municipal waste to the Uwharrie Regional Landfill, managed by Republic Services Inc., located 70 miles away in Montgomery County, NC. continue reading...
57. Roch Smith Jr On Greensboro Performing Arts Center
It seems I'm not the only one with issues about the refusal of Greensboro's "leaders" to consider the little green circle as a possible site for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center. Jeff Martin writes,
"Martinet Perkins and Matt Brown may not have noticed it, but Greensboro is dying. This is pretty remarkable because Perkins happens to own the largest commercial real estate company in the city continue reading...
58. Judge Henry Frye On Greensboro Performing Arts Center
"Notes from Task Force Meeting"
by Henry Frye
What are Performing Arts Centers, or PAC’s?
In short, they are, generally, SOB’s! continue reading...
59. It's About Our Neighborhoods-- All Of Them
Greensboro has a long history of racism, classism and elitism that needs to finally be brought to a close. Every working class neighborhood in Greensboro has its own bucket of broken promises made by city leaders. Promises are made to improve neighborhoods and the bonds are passed but the bonds are never sold before the next bond being pushed by Greensboro's "movers and shakers" gets pushed through, passed and quickly put on sale. continue reading...
60. While Downtown Goes Up, Your Neighborhood Goes Down
It's no secret that property values throughout Greensboro and the rest of the nation have fallen dramatically in recent years and yet the owners of the proposed sites for the downtown Greensboro performing arts center are still asking premium prices for the properties they've agreed to sell. George Hartzman, an accountant working in a local Greensboro bank branch, sends me the following prices of 4 properties in Greensboro before and after the real estate crash. continue reading...
61. Performing Arts Task Force Says Downtown Might Not Be Best Location
Make no doubt, Ross Harris, campaign manager for Mayor Perkins and appointed leader of the performing arts center task force is not going to recommend any location other than downtown but as shown in this video from Fox8, not all of the 50 members of task force are convinced. And neither am I. continue reading...
62. Downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center In The News
"...to “seek and strengthen community, inspire creative exploration, educate, and entertain, through the presentation of quality performing arts events and educational opportunities geared toward a diverse audience.” That's what a performing arts center should do but it won't be what happens in downtown Greensboro. It can't. continue reading...
63. Mayor Robbie Perkins' Record Of Failure
While Mayor Perkins and the Piedmont Triad Partnership are talking about extending Greensboro's water and sewer lines to the Alamance County line to help sell commercial properties owned by Mayor Perkins' buddies, the folks in Montgomery and Moore Counties are already 5 years ahead in building a 3400 acre Mega Park-- said to be the largest industrial park in the history of North Carolina. continue reading...
64. A Letter To The Business Journal
After reading Can a vision for a Greensboro performing arts center come together in 80 days? by Owen Covington, Reporter - The Business Journal, I decided to e-mail Owen with the following: continue reading...
65. Yeah, Right
I just learned that Mayor Robbie Perkins will be a speaker at Greening Greensboro: How the Sustainable Cities Movement Can Make Our City and Region More Livable. continue reading...
66. An Open Letter To GPAC2012
So far the Rhino Times, the Business Journal and the Citizens for Economic & Environmental Justice have all failed to respond to e-mails.
So I decided to go directly to GPAC2012 via their contact page.
"To whom it may concern,
On your website you quote the Greensboro News & Record in saying Arts Center Task Force is Open to All Views: continue reading...
67. Anyone Notice How The News & Record Leaves The Rest Of Greensboro Out Of The Conversation Concerning The Greensboro Performing Arts Center?
Allen Johnson, Editorial Page Editor for the Greensboro News & Record would be lying if he made the claim that he doesn't know about the effort to bring the performing arts center to the very neighborhood he grew up in. The proof is in the Tiny URL that is contained in this letter to the editor submitted by Professor David Wharton. But in his own editorial blog post, How's that arts center task force thingy working for us so far?, Allen Johnson conveniently leaves out any mention of his old neighborhood. continue reading...
68. GPAC2012 @gpac2012
I got the following Tweet from @gpac2012 today:
"Thanks @VeggieStalker for sharing your ideas and thoughts on #GPAC2012 The Task Force values opinions from the G'boro community
4:26 PM - 16 Mar"
I'm pretty sure that was in response to my article, An Open Letter To GPAC2012. So I decided to check my e-mail. continue reading...
69. Downtown Greensboro Is A Great Location For A Performing Arts Center?
Imagine the horror visitors from other cities would have if, when walking out from a concert in Greensboro's downtown performing arts center, they came upon this scene while trying to make their way back to the parking garage, into their cars and onto the streets to make the drive home. The following is real video taken in downtown Greensboro. continue reading...
70. Falling Short Of Expectations
Unlike promoters of a downtown Greensboro performing arts center, I'll not make any predictions as to how well a Northeast Greensboro performing arts center might do for if I were to make such predictions they would be fabricated in the same way as were predictions for the The ACC Hall of Champions were fabricated by Matt Brown, who has also been appointed to manage the downtown PAC. continue reading...
71. An Open Letter To The NC Justice Center
Tazra Mitchell of the North Carolina Justice Center, recently wrote: " I n 2006-2010, 143,445 North Carolinians who were poor lived in concentrated poverty, and the state’s concentrated poverty rate stood at 10.2 percent. continue reading...
72. Helping The Arts Become An Asset for Northeast Greensboro
The downtown PAC supporters are pointing to this article from yesterday's Charlotte Observer titled, Helping the arts become a new kind of asset for N.C. By Christopher Gergen and Stephen Martin. But I'll do them one better. Let's start with the first 2 paragraphs. continue reading...
73. Complete And Unbiased My... Well You Know
I had to give this one a day or so to calm lest I start tossing around words not everyone wants to read.
In yesterday's Greensboro News & Record there was an opinion piece written by Susan Shore Schwartz, Tom Taylor and Dawn Chaney, titled Downtown best place for an arts center. It just so happens that all three work for Downtown Greensboro Inc. a taxpayer funded non-profit whose sole business is to put more money in the pockets of downtown Greensboro business owners at the expense of we-the-taxpayers. continue reading...
74. Ignoring Our Greensboro Communities Is Deliberate
As if there was ever any doubt that the people in charge of building a downtown Greensboro performing arts center ever cared about anything other that Greensboro's more affluent neighborhoods we have the following admissions from their meeting minutes. Continue reading...
75. It Has To Start In Downtown Greensboro
It was never my intention to hinder the building of a Greensboro performing arts center but I feel it only appropriate to tell the story of how one city (Greensboro, North Carolina) has long used downtown development as a means to enrich the lives of a few downtown businesses and developers at the expense of an entire city. continue reading...
76. Greensboro Downtown Performing Arts Center Community Forums
Via Ed Cone:
"Community forums on the proposed Greensboro Downtown Performing Arts Center are scheduled for Thursday 3/29 from 11:30 AM-1 PM and 6-7:30 PM at Elm Street Center's Regency Room; Saturday 4/21 from 12 –1:30 PM and 3:30 – 5:00 PM at Holy Trinity's Haywood Duke room; and Thursday 5/24 from 7:30 – 9 AM, 12:00 -1:30 PM and 6 -7:30 PM back at Elm Street Center." continue reading...
77. Impact Greensboro: Always From The Top Down
Greensboro's downtown boosters and real estate developers never give up in their efforts to get you and I to pay for their projects. The latest is from Impact Greensboro another arm of the Center for Creative Leadership and Jim Melvin's Bryan Foundation: continue reading...
78. The Plan: Leave Greensboro Communities Out In The Cold
As efforts are under way and the economic rent seeking continues (Define: rent seeking.) a book has been released by the City that predicts growth in downtown Greensboro: continue reading...
79. East Greensboro Would Benefit From New Arts Center
Tom Taylor of Taylor & Associates Appraisers-- a downtown commercial real estate appraiser-- writes, City Would Benefit From New Arts Center: continue reading...
80. Worse Than I Knew
I knew about the empty lot on my block when I surveyed the site I've proposed as the home of the East Greensboro Performing Arts Center but I didn't count it as it's been several years since 2 of the 3 houses on that property were torn down. continue reading...
81. 2 Downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Centers?
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 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. continue reading...
82. Asking BookingEntertainment.com
Just to set the record straight about Issac Cain's claim to be building The Triumph Center in downtown Greensboro, NC. and having made arrangements with Booking Entertainment to bring performers like James Taylor, Sting, Bon Jovi, Vanessa Williams, Natalie Cole and others to the proposed Ardent Square-- Concert Hall, I decided to e-mail Steve Einzig, President of Booking Entertainment with the following: continue reading...
83. Greensboro Performing Arts Censorship
Want to know real censorship in action? I went to the Greensboro Performing Arts Center forum today-- speakers from the floor were not allowed. Even Bill Knight, who was seated at my table was not allowed to speak to the audience. Mayor Knight was told that all the public forums would be run the same way. (Unless they told him something else after they pulled him aside.) Instead they had round table discussions in small groups and even some of the task force members were unhappy continue reading...
84. Greensboro Performing Arts Center: Who Controls The Agenda?
Yesterday, I attended the first 2 Greensboro Performing Arts Center public forums and I learned some interesting things and relearned some I already knew. Ross Harris, campaign manager for Mayor Robbie Perkins, manages the GPAC2012 Twitter feed established on February 14, 2012, and has recently modified the feed to control the message. No longer will tagging your Twitter posts, #GPAC2012 cause your posts to automatically display on the Latest Tweets widget on the GPAC2012 website Only Ross Harris' twits will display now. continue reading...
85. There's Greensboro Economic Development And Then There's...
From Fox8:
"“The reason everybody wants to come downtown right now is because it’s taken care of,” Billy Jones said. “My neighborhood’s not, and it hasn’t been in over 50 years. It’s about time it happened.” continue reading...
86. Bad News For Mayor Perkins
I begin this morning with a quote from the Greensboro News And Record:
"Some humble suggestions: Make sure you’re not preaching to the choir. Make more aggressive efforts to get bigger, more diverse turnouts. Go to the people if they don’t come to you continue reading...
87. Still Saying Only What They Want You To Know
GPAC2012 posted 2 stories over the weekend about last Thursday's "community" forums. From the Lunchtime Forum:
"After some time for discussion, each of the moderators provided a brief update of the key points made during the break out discussions. Most of the people in attendance supported the idea of building a downtown performing arts center, saying it could be a huge economic benefit for downtown Greensboro, bringing people from throughout the region into the center city and serving as an “iconic image” for Greensboro. continue reading...
88. He Who Squeaks The Loudest Gets The Grift
Tonight, the Greensboro City Council meets to vote on giving developer Roy Carroll over $5 Million in incentives from a pool of $10 Million in economic development bonds passed by Greensboro voters a few years ago so that Millionaire developer Roy Carroll can sell an industrial park that lies very near the Alamance County line and roughly 10 miles outside of the Greensboro City Limits. Have no doubt, when it comes to economic development, the City of Burlington will see far more positive economic impact than will the City of Greensboro. continue reading...
89. Maybe The Task Force Has The Wrong Charge?
My letter to GPAC2012, Mayor Robbie Perkins, Greensboro City Council and the Greensboro News & Record:
"I'll admit to being critical of the performing arts task force at my blog, East Greensboro Performing Arts Center but after having attended 2 forum meetings on Thursday I've come to the conclusion that it's not the fault of the task force members. Their charge, what they were recruited to do, is to study the feasibility of a downtown PAC and report back to City Council with their findings. continue reading...
90. Who's To Blame?
Greensboro's "movers and shakers" are touting a downtown location for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center but at the same time they are also supporting urban sprawl well beyond our city limits at taxpayers' expense. From the News & Record, a letter by Sam Howe of Greensboro: continue reading...
91. A Kid In The Candy Isle
When my son was a little boy I took him to the store to get candy explaining that he could have one of anything he liked but only one. Jason was a smart child and understood the concept of just one as well as any adult but when he walked to the cash register he was carrying so much candy that he had to carry it by pulling up the front of his t-shirt and using it as a bag. Thinking back all those years I'd be surprised if there were less than 100 pieces of candy in his shirt. continue reading...
92. GPAC Visits DPAC
I ran across an open invitation from GPAC2012 to ride with the task force to visit the Durham Performing Arts Center with which GPAC2012 promoters are so enamored with so I quickly e-mailed gpacsitevisit@gmail.com and asked to be included. continue reading...
93. GPAC2012 Seeks To Bypass Voters
I'm not at all familiar with the process known as certificates of participation but it appears some GPAC2012 supporters want to use it to build a downtown performing arts center without voter approval. continue reading...
94. Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force Community Survey
The folks at GPAC2012, City Council and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro are asking residents to take a survey asking how do you feel about a downtown performing arts center continue reading...
95. Who's Playing The Greensboro Performing Arts Center?
Ever wonder who the actual players are for the proposed downtown Greensboro performing Arts Center and what their stakes are?
Mayor Robbie Perkins, commercial realtor and dealer in this high stakes game heads things up. As the owner of continue reading...
96. A Fair Greensboro Performing Arts Center Survey
Perhaps you saw the recent push poll designed by the Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force? If not, you may view it by clicking here.
Because I thought the "official" poll was written in such a way as to solicit specific answers, continue reading...
97. Going To DPAC With GPAC And Virtual PAC Tourists
Friday I mentioned how I'd asked to be included in the upcoming trip to the Durham Performing Arts Center, how much I really wanted to go and how GPAC2012 really wants to take me along. Today, I got the following e-mail today from the GPAC Task Force: continue reading...
98. DPAC To GPAC: A Key Difference
Philip Szostak, developer and architect for the Durham Performing Arts Center comments on Performing Arts Center: Can't We Just Bypass Voters?: continue reading...
99. Going To Durham Performing Arts Center Today
Myself and others will be riding a bus from downtown Greensboro to visit the Durham Performing Arts Center this morning. Including myself, 10 people from outside the Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force and "officaldum" have been chosen to make the trip. How did I get a ride? Threats and coercion, of course. How else can one who isn't a part of the downtown crowd get anything done in Greensboro? continue reading...
100. East Greensboro Performing Arts Center: The End?
Some will say I'm throwing in the towel. Perhaps I am. But as I pen this, the 100th article of my effort to bring the Greensboro Performing Arts Center to Northeast Greensboro, just allow me to say I've accomplished exactly what I set out to do.
I've succeeded at making the plight of my community, the community with the highest vacancy rate in the City of Greensboro, known to Greensboro's movers and shakers. continue reading...
101. Uptown Performing Arts Center
Allen Johnson of the Greensboro News & Record once asked me if I would vote for a bond issue to build a performing arts center somewhere in Greensboro other than downtown or the little green circle I've been pitching. I replied something to the effect that any location in one of Greensboro's lesser served neighborhoods would be acceptable. continue reading...
102. News & Record Gives Downtown PAC Report Failing Grade
Apparently, Robin Sauls and company are hearing rumors that the N&R property won't be to chosen site of the downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center. From today's News & Record: continue reading...
103. Zack Matheny Not So Keen On Downtown PAC
Well I can only say Zack Matheny either has guts or he plans to unseat Mayor "Martinet" Perkins in the 2013 election. From today's, News & Record, the second article today poking holes in GPAC2012. continue reading...
104. George Strikes Again!
George Hartsman pokes some pretty big holes in the GPAC2012 push poll. continue reading...
105. Is Downtown Safe For A Performing Arts Center?
I can't answer the question because I don't know the answer but after finding that Part 1 crimes, homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and automobile theft are almost twice as common Downtown as they are in continue reading...
106. Greensboro Performing Arts: Deja Vu
No longer do I need to poke holes in plans to build a downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center. All I do now is take notes and pass along what others direct me to. For example: In today's News & Record, W.H. Nash writes, continue reading...
107. An Obiturary For The Greensboro Performing Arts Center?
I considered writing a free online obituary for GPAC2012 just minutes ago but simply couldn't go through with the joke. Then I found Arts Center: $30 Million Bond Referendum Will Come Off The Table: continue reading...
108. Ticket Taxes Taxing Voters' Patience
Like I said before, no longer do I need to make my case, it's being made for me. Indications in the local media are that the City of Greensboro will use a tax of up to $3.oo per seat on ticket sales for venues with 2,800 to 4,000 seats to help pay for construction of the Greensboro Performing Arts Center. That is, if the State of North Carolina passes a bill approving the new tax. continue reading...
109. Put Up Or Shut Up
With the news today that a ticket tax is not going to be considered by the State Assembly before next year at the earliest and GPAC2012's recognition that Greensboro tax payers are not going to support a bond referendum and that city leaders are scared to institute COPs (Certificates of Participation) it is now apparent that no matter where the PAC is to be built, Mayor "Marionette" Perkins and his happy band of downtown developers are going to have to look elsewhere for money to fill their building addictions. So what are their options? continue reading...
110. Spag To The Rescue
Spag and I don't often agree. He's a dyed in the wool conservative and I'm a yellow dog liberal. But in the comments over at EdCone.com, Spag wrote: continue reading...
