So I went to the Smart City Memphis blog and I read the blog (rather long, but there was a lot to say) about Mayor Herenton's latest "if you build it, they will come" idea. He did not get the stadium he wanted so now, how about a new convention center?
This blog does lay out some unconventional thinking and different ideas. I also agree that the Cook Convention Center is really ugly. But that, to me is not a reason to build another one. Face it, Memphis does not have a really good track record when it comes to these sort of projects. We have more than one huge empty building in our city. And there always seems to be some sort of scandal or drama attached to every project. And why on earth did we build something and call it Mud Island? There's not much to it and then to name it after wet and sometimes slimy dirt?
And then there is Main Street downtown which (was it the late seventies?) they covered in cement and called a mall. I remember, they had to go back and replace most of the cement blocks after a year or two (maybe less) because the contractor had used a cheap grade of cement and they were cracking and breaking up. Of course, the repairs came out of the public till.
All these projects cost money, lots of it, and we are the ones who pay for them. I am all for improving our city and making it beautiful and a place people want to visit but I agree with the blogger that maybe there needs to be a fresh perspective. I am tired of throwing money at projects and then more money and then they raise property taxes again. In the meantime, our leaders want to abandon the buildings that have been built. Let's build a bigger one, by God!
If they want people to bring their conventions here, our leaders need to look more intensely at improving crime, poverty and the problems related with these issues. There needs to be some money thrown in that direction.
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3 comments:
Hey Nancy. I agree with you on the buildings. I think instead of trying to build all this stuff we should use the taxpayer's money to help stop crime or to better the schools. I think that those are more important issues. These buildings can come later after we solve the issues that have been hurting Memphis and surrounding areas for so long.
Hi Nancy, Mike here. Totally agree with you about the buildings. And isn't the Cook Convention Center just one of the most hideous things you have ever seen??? Anyway, this city has become notorious for building new stadiums and arenas when the one we currently have doesn't fit our need anymore. Rather than renovating an existing building, let's leave it there and build a new one. HUH?
Excellent post. Really insightful. Keep up the great work!
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