By: Diane Benjamin
Old story, but the Coliseum was built against the wishes of the people, bigger venues already existed in Peoria and Champaign. The Coliseum isn’t big enough to draw big name acts, the sports teams have lousy attendance at games.
The economic impact of the Coliseum is a made-up number with no actual data to justify it.
A sports complex will be no different. Yes, the local hotels are struggling. It isn’t government’s job to fill them at your expense, especially when “if we build it they will come” has already been proven wrong. Cuts backs are happening at every level of government, their version of “investing in the future” has proven ridiculous in the past, it will continue to be ridiculous.
A sports complex already exists within 30 minutes of Bloomington-Normal: Pekin Il.
Pekin has an indoor climate controlled venue for sporting events – see it here:
http://avantisdome.com/the-dome/
In 2013 the Dome hosted a National girls softball tournament, I found no proof it returned after 2013. http://www.pekintimes.com/article/20111119/NEWS/311199997
Pekin also has an outdoor sports complex featuring: http://www.pekinparkdistrict.org/sportscomplex.html
- (8) lighted baseball/softball diamonds and (4) mini diamonds
- (10) acre soccer area for accommodation of multiple age appropriate fields
- (4) regulation football fields
With thousands of local kids playing soccer here, they could have raised the money to build a complex.
They have only themselves to blame for not doing it.
If it wasn’t worth their time to raise money and build it themselves, it’s not worth stealing money from people already over-taxed to build it for them.
Government doesn’t create economic development, they redistribute your wealth to their friends. Unfortunately, when people who think they walk on water keep getting elected, they will pretend them can perform miracles.
In reality they are nothing more than common pickpockets.
The idea of a sports complex or any other government-led “catalyst” project is an absolute joke. The longer this stays on the table and in the news, the worse the political impact for Renner and Koos. People have wised up! Perhaps, all this chatter is a blessing in disguise.
Funny how no one mentions that there is a massive indoor/outdoor sports complex in Pekin, 30 minutes away. The traveling teams have an option to come to Bloomington for food, housing and supplies. They also have the option to go to Peoria. Is B/N planning to compete with Peoria again?? Is it the government’s job to provide athletic programming for the population? No!
Exactly ,, those interested in such should have fund raisers , and it should be a private controlled and owned system just like other things , we have public parks and recreational spots for most to use . these are more commercial facilities , and need to be independent . state farm park is private , four seasons is private , a lot of the gyms and tumbling areas are private , and I feel private are more likely to operate for profit or not at all , unlike the many subsidized public things ,, including our coliseum . .
Had a conversation with one of those soccer parents a few months back. They really believe it would be a great thing for blono. I wish I had known about Pekin then. I did bring up the fact that when my daughter was dancing, it was a completely private, not for profit business. When the dance company was forced to move from the old Bloomington Jr. High building, where we paid rent, the parents got together, found a place, remodeled it ourselves at our own expense, and life continued on. The thought of asking the local government for help NEVER crossed our minds. We did it for our kids. The question I should of asked, was if this was going to be so great for the city to own, why don’t you figure out a way to raise the money for yourselves, and keep the profits.
If they thought it was viable they would have.
I find this rather AMUSING, as just TODAY the town of “UP” was out along 150 where the old road to the “they will come” outlet mall led to the place, and they were TEARING OUT the concrete/asphalt roadway!! This is AFTER the RR already put in steel posts and guard rails across the tracks, so I guess IF you want to get to this GREAT sports complex, and live in NW UPTOWN, you’ll have to drive down MMMI pkwy OR go all the way to Rt 9 and go west. Such great planning these pterodactyl brains have!
Course, I’m STILL getting over a bike lane on Fairway, they might as well just park Nora 13 there, so it’ll be on site-that’ll cut down on response time.
Ideas can be great, but not practical. Our local government has not figured that out as of this time.