Today, Council Lady Erica Gilmore reported the 19th District constituents are thrilled with the idea of a proposed new Sounds stadium at Sulphur Dell. Sulphur Dell is the original home of professional baseball in Nashville, and minor league and Negro league teams played there dating back to the 1860s.
After many months and years, “I am excited the Mayor is moving forward with this proposal, stated Council Lady Gilmore.” This challenge is a tremendous opportunity for the North Nashville area. This proposal will create more jobs and will be a valuable community asset with the ability to expand economic development.
Council Lady Gilmore stated, “We are grateful that Sulfur Dell is being considered in District 19 and know this will be a Homerun for the North Nashville area.” [sic]
I am glad CM Gilmore broke with her seeming indifference in the past about planning quality and smart growth at the intersection of Jefferson and Rosa Parks (given that she was willing to welcome a predatory lender and bid farewell to the National Museum of African American Music).
On the contrary, she expresses no interest in or insight on transit questions which plague the idea of building a ballpark at Sulphur Dell. Would not bus rapid transit from downtown be a perfect compliment to a new ballpark? But, oh, she has already gone all in on the Mayor's bus rapid transit connector between East and West Nashville; the plan that leaves North Nashville out of the transit equation. What a squander.
As long as we are throwing grammar/spelling shade: "compliment" or "complement"?
ReplyDeleteNot a substantive critique, I realize. Actually, I'd like to see CM Gilmore work on improving her writing skills (or maybe surround herself with better copy editors) because I personally find her frequent minor communication gaffes distracting, even though I think they are generally trivial. And I'll guarantee some typo has slipped into this comment to undercut my own point.
I'm super skeptical about the Sulphur Dell plans myself, and actually I think spectator team sports are, as a rule, really dumb. That's just personal opinion, but I do wish it was easier to sell people on a potentially durable community investment like a museum/archive rather than an inherently ephemeral one, or, worse one that feeds its assets to Milwaukee?
The ballpark in North Nashville, probably a perk promised to the North Nashville delegation in order to secure their votes for the AMP. Oh, the ballpark and two North Nashville councilmen elected (by accclimation in a predetermined election scheme) as prominent committee chairs. Really, Walter Hunt as chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee and a vote at the Planning Commission and Frank Harrison as Traffic and Parking Chair. This was as riduculous as Lonnell Matthews as Budget Chair. Politics at its best.
ReplyDeleteYes, the ballpark has "simmer down about the Amp" written all over it.
ReplyDeleteAl-Jazeera had an extensive article last week about sports stadiums and how they are a very bad deal for taxpayers but a great deal for the already wealthy teams/owners.
ReplyDeletehttp://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/8/21/pay-to-play.html
But it's a done deal; the capital improvements budget last year included 55 million for this playpen for the Sounds.
Who pays to move the State data center? Who pays when this area floods AGAIN?