More rush-rush on the Paulson stadiums deal
The latest from OPB:
Randy Leonard: "Well, we have to have a deal on Lents within the short term, like in the next week."Remember the April 15 "drop dead" deadline? It came and went. Now we're on May 14. I don't know about Randy, but I'm starting to feel numb.
Meanwhile, the new "urban renewal" slush fund that's going to pay to re-do PGE Park yet again has apparently been drawn up behind closed doors, and the public will get to see it the night before Randy's new deadline:
The Portland Development Commission (PDC) and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) would like to invite you to attend a special briefing session regarding the possible formation of a new Central City Urban Renewal Area. Location: PDC, 222 NW 5th Ave, Commission Conference Room, Wednesday, May, 13 2009 at 5:30 PMGo by streetcar!
| Posted at 2:17 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (11)
The existing facilities at Lents Park are more than sufficient for the Portland Beavers.
Posted by Bark Munster | May 7, 2009 2:38 PM
Oooh, the City's gonna see a major lawsuit over this.
Remember Friends of Urban Renewal, you know, those pesky folks suing the city (and winning several items) over improper URA funding usage, etc?
Well, I know for a fact, they are ready to take the whole PGE/Rose Quarter/Lents/MLS/Baseball fiasco down a similar road.
Just sayin'
Posted by ExCity | May 7, 2009 2:54 PM
The existing facilities at PGE Park are more than sufficient for the Portland Beavers.
/ fixed
Posted by Mike (the other one) | May 7, 2009 3:12 PM
I think the Bark Munster meant what the Bark Munster wrote.
Posted by Bill McDonald | May 7, 2009 3:45 PM
Me, too.
Posted by Jack Bog | May 7, 2009 3:52 PM
Why would Portlanders sacrifice a nice and historical public community park to give it away to private owners to build a private stadium? Bizarre.
Some good comments here: http://www.katu.com/news/44529712.html#respond
Who has looked at the details of the deeds of the original Lents Park, and more importantly, the conditions of the deeds of the parcels added to the park during the 1940s and 1950s?
What if those magic words "so long as used as a public park" appear?
Posted by Mojo | May 7, 2009 4:27 PM
What's really great is watching Randy trying to cash a check his mouth wrote. Be great if for once he could admit he screwed up, but I guess instead we'll waste some more tax payer dollars.
Posted by Steve | May 7, 2009 4:41 PM
I was amused when Nick Fish gushed about Randy's negotiating skills saying we should send him to the Middle East - he was just that good.
Since the city council soccer vote, we've been treated to weeks of increasingly farcical scrambling around. It's truly been a dazzling time.
But maybe we should rethink sending Randy to negotiate in the Middle East. And I wouldn't send the Mayor either.
He can't even negotiate North Hayden Island Drive.
Posted by Bill McDonald | May 7, 2009 5:05 PM
I just hope that somebody is getting paid under the table. Absent a cash bribe, there is no rational explanation for the Portland City Council to be using public funds to subsidize Hank Paulson & Family or "Major League" Soccer.
Minor League Baseball has already failed twice in Portland. Throwing another $50 million after the $28.5 million (which remains unpaid) will only make the economics worse.
Lies, damned lies, and whatever comes out of Sam and Randy's mouths.
Posted by Mister Tee | May 7, 2009 5:30 PM
I gotta agree, Mister Tee.
Posted by godfry n. glad | May 7, 2009 10:53 PM
But maybe we should rethink sending Randy to negotiate in the Middle East. And I wouldn't send the Mayor either.
I, on the other hand, would gladly send them both - with one-way tickets.
Posted by cc | May 8, 2009 6:25 AM