I was mistaken last night, what I thought was is a proposed driveway through Festival Park is in-fact some sort of structure. As of now, no one from the City of Greensboro or the GPAC Task Force has mentioned the closing of Festival Park to make room for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center (Lies by omission are still lies.) but here in it in the GPAC Artist Renderings made public last night.
And yet they still haven't mentioned the closing of Festival Park.
From Jim Morrone of Real Progress For Greensboro:
"The closing of Festival Park will impact quite a few non-political groups/events:
What will happen with Piedmont Winterfest?;
The Mosaic Festival was held there;
The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society held their 26th Annual Carolina Blues Festival there this past summer;
The First Annual East West BBQ Fest was held there;
The Italian Festival was there 2 years ago;
Perhaps the biggest of all, the BB&T Beach Music in the Park.
Festival Park may looks to be a pretty steady revenue stream for the City, which will be lost. Rates charged here: www.greensboro-nc.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=10351
And the driveway goes through the outdoor patio of Europa (the city owns the property, so they have no say). While Europa would benefit greatly from the GPAC next door, they will lose outdoor seating for maybe 80 or so people...
I smell a public records request...how much money does the city generate annually from renting Festival Park? "
Indeed you do, Jim. As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish publishing this article I intend to submit the following questions to the City of Greensboro along with a link to this post.
1. How much money does the city generate annually from renting Festival Park?
2. How much money has the city generated overall from the operation of Festival Park since its inception>
3. How much money did the City of Greensboro pay to buy the land the park was built on?
4. What was the overall cost of building Festival Park? Be sure to include all soft costs, studies, etc?
5. What are the projected revenues for Festival Park for the next 50 years should it remain open?
6. And for the City Attorney, what are the City's concerns about closing Festival Park and the privatization of public spaces when Festival Park is replaced by a privately owned park owned by the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro where political free speech cannot be guaranteed just as political free speech is not currently allowed at City Center Park? Just so you know: I was threatened with arrest at City Center Park in 2007 while running for Mayor of Greensboro for the simple act of passing out a business card and nothing more.
And seriously folks, if the City of Greensboro and the GPAC Task Force have really done their jobs then they already know these answers and should easily be able to get back to me in say, 24 hours or so?
Who wants to bet they haven't done their jobs?
