Post by BROWNFIELD on Jul 16, 2012 16:06:38 GMT -7
KVIA...the voice of corruption did a hard hitting investigative journalism piece. They called the director of Fresno downrevitalization and asked how the ballpark and downtown revitaliation are doing. Of course he said great...its his job.
Now lets see what the local paper sez....
the money quote "The stadium since then has become a growing drain on the general fund. The city, mired in its own money crisis, faces an estimated $15 million budget gap next year"
www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/02/2822957/fresno-oversight-board-challenges.html
Board challenges Fresno baseball stadium deal
By George Hostetter - The Fresno Bee
By George Hostetter The Fresno Bee
Wednesday, May. 02, 2012 | 09:14 PM Modified Thu, May 03, 2012 07:38 AM
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6 Comments The Fresno Oversight Board got down to real business on Wednesday at City Hall, and a key item on the agenda was the controversial downtown baseball stadium deal of a decade ago. The stadium, which depends on city redevelopment funds to pay its bond debt, took a drubbing.
The board is charged with overseeing the dissolution of the former Fresno Redevelopment Agency. The board's task is deciding which of the agency's unfinished development contracts are legitimate according to state law.
If yes, money keeps flowing to the original parties. If no, the money helps the state fix its budget mess. There's an appeal process in Sacramento, but the board's decisions carry considerable weight.
The board right out of the chute is tackling agency contracts worth millions of dollars with the city of Fresno. Among them is a deal signed in 2001 that called for the agency to give the city $200,000 a year to pay the bond debt on the $46 million stadium.
There was a civil war in Fresno more than a decade ago over the stadium's size and funding. One of the deal-clinchers was the Redevelopment Agency's promise to help pay the $3.5 million annual bond bill.
The stadium since then has become a growing drain on the general fund. The city, mired in its own money crisis, faces an estimated $15 million budget gap next year.
But there was always some RDA money to help lighten the load. Now the check is iffy.
The Oversight Board on Wednesday learned that the original RDA-city deal had been amended, reducing the agency's annual payment to about $182,000.
Board members Jeff Reid and Terry Bradley said state law is picky about which RDA-city contracts are legitimate. They said they have strong doubts that the RDA's payment will pass closer scrutiny.
The board asked Marlene Murphey, executive director of the former RDA staff, to return on Monday with more information. Board members said they'll give the
Read more here: www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/02/2822957/fresno-oversight-board-challenges.html#storylink=cpy
wait there is more...check out the comments from the locals
comments
shazzbot 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
I liked that corner a lot better when there was a night club there, with hookers aplenty giving all a show as they drove by. And it didn't cost anyone a dime to see.
A Like 05/03/2012 08:22 AM 0 Like
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Hippyfromomega 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
Fresno should get out of the business of trying to make itself in the image of a big city like Los Angeles. There is no reason to have a vibrant downtown, when less than a few miles up the road, there is Riverpark.
The city works to reduce abandoned property costs for Developers; bulldoze it and sell it all cheap to anyone who wants it.
A Like 05/03/2012 07:36 AM 2 Likes Report Abuse
stirker 2 comments collapsed Collapse Expand
Do you remember when people said the stadium should be built in north Fresno? But oh no, the politicians with their infinite business and baseball knowledge could not stop themselves from engaging in social engineering, so the stadium was built across the street from the Greyhound Bus Depot.
You only have to look as far as Raley Field in Sacramento to see how a city does it right. Raley field was privately financed. It is located in West Sacramento along the Sacramento River, and within walking distance of Old Sacramento. Conversely, Fresno's stadium was government funded, located adjacent to "Chinatown", and is within staggering distance of the Rescue Mission.
Raley Field also hosts sold out concerts. What ever happened to Fresno's snake oil salesman who said there would be constant concerts in the stadium by groups such as the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean? The only time since the stadium was built that the "surf's been up" is when the City turned the fountains at the mall on and the homeless hung more than ten in the water.
Real life is not like the movies, but sadly, naive politicians believe, "If you build it they will come." Just look; they are getting ready to do it again with streets and other changes to the Fulton Mall. Hey, business geniuses at City Hall, let me know if that turns out as well for you as the stadium has (or the Met Museum or Granite Park or the parking garages or the ice hockey upgrades to Selland Arena or the homeless camp clean-ups or the city budget or the oversight committee or the police independent auditor or the downtown trolley or ...)
A Like 05/03/2012 12:49 AM 9 Likes Report Abuse
regerg43 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
Downtown flat out sucks. It will never be anything. The stadium should have never been built there. The people who decided it should be built downtown are the dumbest people on Earth and an embarrassment to humanity
A Like 05/03/2012 05:19 AM in reply to stirker 7 Likes Report Abuse
regerg43 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
shouldnt have built the stadium in the dump called downtown. idiots
A Like 05/03/2012 12:39 AM 6 Likes Report Abuse
PatrickHenry 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand
Goodbye Grizzlies!!!