Topic: Global Entertainment

Multi-Purpose Event Center, Boon or Boondoggle

By Charles Cook | August 10, 2006 |

As you may know the Economic Development Council (EDC) is trying to convince the County and City taxpayers to fund a Multi-Purpose Event Center.  Visit the website to view the presentation and maybe even take the time to participate in their survey.  Mr. James Chavez, president of the EDC, has been the front man on this project and has given numerous presentations throughout the City and County.  One such presentation was at a town hall meeting sponsored by Councilman Ken Takasaki.

A number of City Council members both past and present and a few County Commissioners were present at the meeting.  Mr. Chavez was asked some very specific questions concerning the profitability of an event center, who must pay the mortgage, how much annual revenue will the MPEC generate, what will be the debt service, who pays the debt service if the MPEC operates at a loss, how did the EDC calculate the debt service, etc.  Many of us left that meeting that night without answers.  Mr. Chavez promised Councilman Takasaki that he would supply those answers in a few days.  That meeting was over two months ago.  Mr. Chavez still has not provided the answers. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

City Council to vote on establishing a Sports Authority, the Multi-Purpose Events Center

By Bill Larson | June 19, 2006 |

Tuesday, at 4:30pm the Clarksville City Council is holding a special session to discuss the 2006 budget, but more importantly to consider a resolution to create a sports authority. I currently lean away from supporting the plan to establish a Sports Authority and a Multi-Purpose Events Center (MPEC). In my opinion Clarksville has not yet demonstrated that there is a significant need or demand for such an extensive facility.

The public must have faith the numbers they have been throwing around in support of this plan, have a foundation in reality. We all know that 99% of all statistics are made up. So I would like to see estimates from at least 3 independent consulting companies none of which may be associated with the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council nor Global Entertainment before we vote to proceed, so far we have one. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments