Fairgrounds Fixed to Fail

Enclave commenter fleamarketmom has been reading the Fairgrounds e-mails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, posted at Google Docs. She discovers more indications of how the Fairgrounds was set up for failure:

Mayor Dean did not even bother to consult Fairgrounds staff before making decision to close it down

It staggers me to hear that Karl Dean, who seemed so passionate about closing and selling off the Fairgrounds, had sought so little feedback before deciding. Via Rev. Jay Voorhees:

More previously unpublished Fairgrounds/Dozier e-mails are up on Google Docs for your crowdsourcing pleasure

In January I uploaded 700 pages of Metro e-mails regarding the Fairgrounds released under the Freedom of Information Act, and got some great feedback and tips from readers, both in e-mails and in Enclave comments.

Today I received 500 more pages of Fairgrounds e-mails from earlier in 2010 than the previous batch. If you are interested in reading and analyzing them, then jump to http://bit.ly/i6cQqe. The images in the latest release make the size of the .pdf too large to read in Google Docs preview, but they can be downloaded. I will again blog feedback I get back on the e-mails.

More coming to light from Metro e-mails: State Fair Director did not take Civic Design Center plans seriously, ignored potential impact on Fairgrounds future

Local blogger Jay Voorhees analyzes those Metro e-mails that I posted on Google Docs and breaks news, previously ignored by Nashville's news media, that indicates that Buck Dozier and the former State Fair Director of Marketing did not take seriously the democratic process of collecting citizen feedback for planning and development last September:

Mr. Dozier and staff were not enamored with the report from the Nashville Civic Design Center. This report arose from public meetings on the future of the fairgrounds at the behest of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. During the “public” portions of this process there was criticism by those now known as preservationists that the there was inadequate opportunity for public comment. The report was supposed to guide the Fair Board and Mayor on future directions, ultimately suggesting that a master plan needed to be developed.

Click on image to enlarge

When the report was leaked to the press and then rushed into release, a former staffer emailed Mr. Dozier and asked, “Did you have to pay for THAT?” Mr. Dozier replied that the fair board was indeed charged for producing the report and that it cost around $30,000 to produce. “You can pick yourself up off the floor,” he joked when mentioning the cost. In a later e-mail he told another staff member that apparently they had paid over $30,000 to learn that “…Metro needs to hire a planner.” The report seemed to have little impact on discussions about the future of the fairgrounds.

Mr. Dozier has been accused by Fairgrounds supporters of deliberately running the facility into the ground. In that context it is hard to read these e-mail exchanges and not wonder whether he wasted tens of thousands of Metro dollars on a civic design process that he never took seriously. It also warrants asking the Mayor's council supporters like Megan Barry, Erik Cole, Ronnie Steine, etc. why they never bothered to ask what happened to the community-informed design process, but instead just went along with Karl Dean's bidding.

And there is something relevant here for North Nashville/Bicentennial Mall residents. When discussions for a new Sulphur Dell ballpark revved up before last May's flood, some of us involved in those discussions asked that the Nashville Civic Design Center be brought in to lead us through a community meeting process to answer questions, address concerns, and consider feedback. After I made several attempts to contact him, NCDC Design Director Gary Gaston replied to me by saying that he had been consumed in the Fairgrounds design meeting process.

He also said that his organization was conducting a design competition for the ballpark that would be presented to the community at the end of 2010 (presentation has yet to happen). NCDC has a ballpark event on its March 2011 calendar, but there is no indication that a community planning process will take place. However, if the ballpark development process emerges and follows the script laid out for Fairgrounds planning, North Nashville participation may be rendered a moot mockery by the wasteful courthouse elite.


CORRECTION: Gary Gaston asked me to correct one of the details in this post. He e-mailed that NCDC has not been conducting a competition. Here are his comments from October 2010:

We are working with our partners at the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design to host a design studio of student projects on the topic of a baseball stadium. A group of 14 graduate students are currently analyzing two sites (Sulfur Dell and North Gulch) and will be designing baseball stadiums for each site. (The SoBro site was excluded because so much study has been done in that area already, and the city recently submitted a grant that would pay for a complete master plan for SoBro - we felt the idea of a baseball stadium would be addressed during that process).

Deanieleaks Epilogue

I have uploaded to Google Docs the entire .pdf of previously unpublished e-mails between Buck Dozier and the Mayor's Office on the Fairgrounds and Hickory Hollow, from which I drew the last few blog posts on "Deanieleaks." Jump to see that file.

WSMV gets their own copy of Deanieleaks e-mails and asks Dean administration critical questions about them

Tonight Channel 4 reporter Nancy Amons aired a story on Metro's Fairgrounds e-mails I have been leaking here at Enclave since last Friday. Ms. Amons had obtained her own set of e-mails and she directly asked Metro officials what was meant by directives like "sowing doubt" among council members, which is a lot more direct than any of the other journos have been during this regrettable episode. Enclave has had a higher than usual volume of web traffic since I started publishing these e-mails and a number of those visits have come from the station's IP address.

If you have been keeping up with these Deanieleaks you will recall that the Dean administration expressed pleasure at the favorable coverage they seemed to receive from WSMV last autumn. I'm hoping that the Dean Team's self-satisfaction with the way they break and bridle the media shamed WSMV into a more probing and bold investigative stance that we will continue to see as we build toward the end of Karl Dean's first term.

This is the kind of responsible media attention the Mayor's Fairgrounds campaign has needed for months. The only thing I need now is more of it.


UPDATE: Jump to Nancy Amons' story.

Deanieleaks #8: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

If no other series of e-mails exchanged between the Mayor's staffers and Fairgrounds staffers makes clear the strong degree of micromanagement of PR for Karl Dean's redevelopment plan, this one should.

Dean's Legislative Director enlisted Dozier's staff to evangelize flea market vendors. A survey that came out a few weeks later indicated that vendors did not respond well to the "outreach" of those "fired up" staffers. The Mayor's Office also wanted notice each time Council Members asked a question of the State Fair staff. The level of action coordination is striking.

[Original Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 4:14 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: FW: meeting
Importance: High

Buck, FYI. We sent this e-mail a moment ago. I know you also spoke with Greg today. We want to bring them in and fire them up on a few things. Just wanted you to be aware, if asked.

Additionally, if Council members ask you or others at the grounds questions on Dominy's bill or things related to Hickory Hollow, we want to know. Drop me a line or give me a call.

Thanks! Have a great weekend.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000

[--Forwarded Message--]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 4:12 PM
To: Dornan, Deborah (State Fair); Burton, Steve (State Fair)
Subject: meeting
Importance: High

Deborah [Flea Market Manager] & Steve [Director of Events at the Fairgrounds] --

Hope you are well this afternoon.

A moment ago I sent a meeting request to you both for this Wednesday, October 13th at 2p here in the courthouse. Greg Hinote [Deputy Mayor] and I would like to meet about the fairgrounds and the transition of services to Hickory Hollow Mall. After that meeting we may gather with others on the team working on this as well. If this date and time doesn't work for some reason, please let me know ASAP.

I will follow-up with you both on Monday morning to discuss a few preliminary things and to brief you a bit futher on things to be prepared for at the meeting.

If needed, and it will probably be needed in the coming weeks, my direct line is 862-6010 and my cell is xxxxxxxx. I will be working with you both on outreach, etc. to expo users and flea market vendors (among others).

Have a good weekend.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000

[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: meeting
Date: Monday, October 11, 2010 2:30:53 PM
__________________________________

Toby-
Buck is out this week, but I read this email to him over the phone so he could know what is going on. He said to let you know that he got this message. If you need anything else, just let me know. Thanks-

Kristi for Buck

We certainly cannot blame the December collapse of the Hickory Hollow lease plan on neglect on the part of the Mayor's Office. These Deanieleak e-mails indicate that they seemed to be maintaining clinch-fisted control over the marketing of the legislation. Perhaps the message was simply not marketable. Maybe no one--not flea market vendors, not CMs, not a critical mass of citizens--was buying what they were selling.

Is the racetrack demolition tack the Mayor has taken to Fairgrounds redevelopment since December any less controlled or working any better?

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5. Jump to Deanieleaks #6. Jump to Deanieleaks #7.)


UPDATE:

The same day that Toby Compton was recruiting State Fair staffers to proselytize Expo vendors, the State Fair Director sent an e-mail to the Metro Finance Director and the Fair Board Chair warning that Fairgrounds preservation supporter and attorney Lewis Laska was snooping around the public records on past Fair Board meetings. Laska went on to publish an analysis questioning the Mayor's Plan on legal grounds.

From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: James Weaver; Riebeling, Richard (Finance - Directors Office)
Subject: Old minutes
Date: Friday, October 08, 2010 1:04:30 PM
Attachments: fax 000.tif
__________________________________________

Gentlemen-
Attorney Lewis Laska was here all day yesterday reviewing old minutes. I am sending you a copy of the minutes that he asked my assistant to make copies of. FYI.
He says he plans on coming back again.
Thanks Buck

As far as I know no one on the Dean Team has responded to Laska's conclusions despite monitoring his research habits.

Deanieleaks #7: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

In the latest release, State Fair Director Buck Dozier raises a red flag with Finance Director Rich Riebeling about access problems for fleamarket vendors should they be moved to Hickory Hollow (Mayor Dean withdrew that Hickory Hollow plan December 1 after withering public blowback).

In the context of the previous e-mails it is hard to see this meeting proposal as anything but a further effort to define and assign talking points among the Dean Team with feedback from the corporate mall owners who stand to benefit handsomely from an Expo exile. Shouldn't Dozier have invited a representative from affected Expo vendors if he intended to act as their access advocate?

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Riebeling, Richard (Finance - Director's Office)
Subject: Update
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 12:15:52 PM
__________________________________

You told me to harass you as things moved along. I have not as Toby, Weaver, and others seem to be on target.

I have one consideration for you that I don't feel that we have fleshed out well. I consider it to be a HUGE issue moving forward.

The issue of egress and ingress at the Hickory Hollow site. The building has only TWO doors in which to get vendors in and out.

I really feel the need to express to ALL who will have anything to do with the build out to talk with me and my crew about these issues.

Setting up a flea market, especially this one, is not like setting up a yard sale as you will know.

I believe that it would be profitable for CBL [Hickory Hollow owner], General Services, and a few of my staff to meet soon on the build out. Your thoughts and wisdom on the matter.

When we open Hickory Hollow I want us to be successful from the get-go.

I will be in New York next week on vacation, but will be here all of this week.

It is conspicuous that this was not a matter of "if" Hickory Hollow would open as an exposition of former Fairgrounds vendors but a matter of "when" for Dozier, regardless of how "HUGE" the obstacles were.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5. Jump to Deanieleaks #6.)

Deanieleaks #6: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

The next exchange in the series of e-mails between the Mayor's Office and the State Fair executive, Buck Dozier, evinces concerns with risking spokespeople getting "trapped" unscripted by media or CMs. It also suggests that justifications for the Mayor's Fairgrounds plan are not necessarily straightforward and the arguments for the plan are not known by common rote. Moreover, rather than slowing down the process to permit more consideration and discussion, the Mayor's Office merely asks for talking points to counter Dominy's arguments.

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: Council Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 11:35:57 AM
__________________________________

Should I be there tonight? Weaver and I will be before the committee soon. You know that I don't mind being there. I would suggest that it might be better if I wasn't there so not to get trapped by media and councilpersons.

It is first reading anyway, so they cannot ask any questions from the floor.

Your perspective and wisdom?


[Reply Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 11:51 AM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Council Meeting

Thanks for checking. I talked with Marty about it too and we think you shouldn't bother with tonight. The ordinance, with all likelihood, will be deferred this evening by Council Rule 8 [automatically defers a bill affecting a single district not sponsored by the district's CM]. And, you are right, there will be other times to come on this, for sure.

Below is correspondence we just received from Dominy to [CM Vivian] Wilhoite for a public meeting. As you probably know, Sandra Moore is very interested in a meeting too. We will see how this shuffles out.

In the meantime, look this letter over. It has a few bullet points that we have seen worded like this before. What are some talking points for the allegations that over the past three years there have been particularly large deficits?

Also how was the board meeting this morning? If you want to talk by phone, I will be around after I grab a bite.

   File: 0975_001.pdf

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Council Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 12:21:54 PM

The Board Meeting went fine. Nothing major at all. I saw this letter. [James] Weaver [Fair Board Chair and Hickory Hollow lobbyist] has asked Howell Townes [State Fair Finance Officer] to provide him and me some statistics to answer these questions. We can and will answer them. It is complicated to answer them, but it can be done. Weaver and I are expected to meet as soon as we get the details for our future presentation. When do you need the bullet points?

I will be in New York next week on vacation. Kristi [Dozier's Assistant] can get me if you need me. I told Weaver also. We are suppose to meet with Vivian sometime out here to brief her on the subject before us.

I hear the Election Commission has narrowed the field. Haven't heard who made the cut yet.

The preparation time with his Finance Officer seemed to have paid off for Fair Board Chair Weaver, who a little later got his name in the paper by responding to a local reporter separately via e-mail, countering Dominy tit for tat.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5.)

Deanieleaks #5: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

I thought it was evident from the first sequence of Deanieleaks e-mails that the Mayor's Office was playing Channel 4 news to maximize its PR about the plan to move Fairgrounds vendors to Hickory Hollow mall. Buck Dozier even thanked Channel 4 in those e-mails for helping him "relax the troops." The latest release of unreported e-mails exposes more talking-points management of Channel 4 to the point that Dozier writes that he expects a "benign" report.

I find it curious that a Metro attorney was copied in this action-coordination correspondence. Why would legal attention be needed in a discussion about media reports on the Hickory Hollow plan, if not to keep Metro legal on message?

Most importantly, take note that the Mayor's Office specifically directs Dozier to contact his good "buddies" on the Metro Council who have "concern" about Hickory Hollow and to "sow some seeds of doubt" among them.

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:21 PM
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office); Sloan, Doug (Legal)
Subject: Channel 4

The main area she [Channel 4 reporter Sara Dorsey] hit on was: Would the impact of the legislation [Duane Dominy's bill to Save the Fairgrounds] slow down the move? Are the vendors happy to go? Would the Council and the Mayor butting heads slow the process down? She did mention that she had "polled" by email the Council and there was a lot of concern. I really don't know how to interpret that. I get the first two points in on the beginning and had to insert the third point intentionally. Should be a benign interview. I don't believe she will use much.


[Reply Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:24 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Channel 4

Thanks. Rich got the question about the Council too [appeared in Dorsey's report].

Make a few Council calls to the folks we discussed to see what they are saying and sow some seeds of doubt. We need some of those guys to stand firm on this. Point out that there are clearly problems with [Dominy's] legislation too.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Channel 4
Date: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:07:19 PM
____________________________________

I will begin calling some of my buddies. Thanks.

This handling of Channel 4 during the Mayor's failing autumn attempts to exile the Fairgrounds Expo to Hickory Hollow is particularly interesting today in light of an announcement Channel 4 reporter Nancy Amons made this morning on Twitter regarding a report on the Mayor's current attempts to demolish the Fairgrounds Speedway:

I have to wonder whether similar e-mails were flying between the same power brokers during this interview process and whether more cynical Mayor's Office marching orders were given to "sow seeds of doubt" among council members who could vote on both Dominy's Fairgrounds bill and the Mayor's demolition plan this Tuesday. Will Rudy Kalis and Channel 4 give the Mayor the same "benign" interview tonight that Buck Dozier and Rich Riebeling enjoyed from WSMV last September?

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4.)

Deanieleaks #4: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

The next sequence of e-mail passing between Buck Dozier and the Mayor's Office indicates Dozier's interest in working wherever Dean staffers need him whether continuing as Fair Director or running for the Election Commission.

From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office) [Deputy Mayor]
Subject: Questions
Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 9:54:44 AM
____________________________________________

Who will be our point person on the move to Hickory Hollow? There are many questions and logistical problems still to be worked out. We submitted our best estimates on cost and what was needed to renovate the building to Alexia some time ago.

One of the traps that we could fall in is that the Hickory Hollow property would not be ready in January. Some of our biggest shows are in the first quarter of the year. Any thought as to keeping this property open for those events. My advice is to do so. If we lose those shows and vendors (including the flea market vendors), it will be very difficult to get them back.

Further, to complicate your life, if there is any desire to keep us open out here during the construction phase, we should make the announcement at the latest next Thursday, before the next flea market. Our February and March shows are booking now, and preparing their advertisement.

Lastly, I want to be where you all need me the most. The dealing is tomorrow on the Election Commission. However, I will not put my name in if you all need me to complete this project for you. I enjoy this work. But I see needs in Metro that I can help with often. Councilman Crafton is putting his name in for the Election Commission.

Sorry, for the length. Trying to keep things moving. Good move on the park in the flood plain.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3.)

Deanieleaks #3: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

I find the 3rd series of e-mails that passed between State Fair leaders and Mayor's Office staffers the most interesting of all the Deanieleaks so far.

They indicate that the Mayor's Office selectively invites certain residents and that staffers actually tell Metro officials whom not to invite. Karl Dean's advisers only include "friendly" organizations. They do not seem to rely on organic local leadership networks outside the courthouse but seem to look inward and paint an "us vs. them" atmosphere around the Fairgrounds issue. That is likely reason why the Mayor's Office selected only Keith Moorman to stand next to Mayor Dean on November 8 and tell the news media that South Nashville wants to be another Green Hills.

Note that the Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods head, Billy Fields, is included in the request for neighborhood representatives. I do not recall seeing Mr. Fields in Salemtown or at North Nashville community meetings I've attended. That experience makes me wonder if he really has his finger on the pulse of South Nashville neighborhoods.

[Original Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 5:00 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair); Sanders Kenneth (State Fair)
Subject: FW: Fairgrounds neighborhoods

If you are aware of any key people from the community, or friendly organizations, it might be good to have them there.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000

[--Forwarded Message--]
From: Hester, Jim (Mayor's Office) [senior adviser]
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 4:57 PM
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office); Fields, Billy (Mayor's Office); Williams, Charlie (Mayor's Office) [ECD]
Cc: Poe, Alexia (ECD)
Subject: Fairgrounds neighborhoods

We would like to invite Fairgrounds neighborhood reps to press conference on Monday. Thats this Monday, September 13 [background on the event].

It will be at 2:15 at Sevier Park Community Center. The Mayor will be talking about Sevier Park but also plans for park space at the Fairgrounds.

Not sure who should be invited, if you do, please go ahead and contact.

Jim Hester

[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 5:22 PM
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Fairgrounds neighborhoods

Will do. I assume our Councilpersons know about this?


[Reply Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 5:23 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Fairgrounds neighborhoods

Yes. Don't invite Lisa Leeds.

Need to call you in a bit about something unrelated, but you need the heads-up.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Fairgrounds neighborhoods
Date: Friday, September 10, 2010 5:26:41 PM
___________________________________________

Call me on my cell -- xxxxxxxx

So, do you think that the Mayor's Office hand picks and hand shuns community leaders in other neighborhood events it sponsors?

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2.)

Deanieleaks #2: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

More from the series of e-mail exchanges between the Mayor's Office and the Fair Board indicating action coordination in efforts to sell the Mayor's plan to convert the Fairgrounds into private real estate. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1.)

The following e-mail exchange was between State Fair executive Buck Dozier and Deputy Mayor Greg Hinote regarding events at the election commission. I am not sure what ship Dozier intends to right. Was it the fallout of the hotly contested August 24 recount of the Democratic primary between Douglas Henry and Jeff Yarbro, who lost even though receiving the Mayor's support? What kind of power does Dozier have to right the ship?

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 10:08 AM
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office)
Subject: Update

Did you get a feel from the Mayor on the Election Commission?


[Reply Message]
From: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:55 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Update

positive


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's office)
Subject: RE: Update
Date: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:58:13 PM
____________________________________

Thanks. I will now call Lynn [Election Commission Chairman Lynn Greer?] and see what the temperature is for this. I do believe I can right-the-ship over there for them.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills.

Deanieleaks #1: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

I have obtained a series of e-mail exchanges between the Mayor's Office and the Fair Board that indicate a considerable degree of action coordination on the public relations effort to sell the Mayor's plan to convert the Fairgrounds into private real estate. These e-mails make what we actually saw play out in council hearings and media reports seem staged.

The first series of e-mails between Executive Director of the State Fair, Buck Dozier, and the Mayor's economic development czar, Alexia Poe. What is interesting to me about this exchange is the way Dozier referred to local news media as a contributor to his military-like campaign strategy:

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: "Alexia Poe"
Subject: Racing
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 2:17:15 PM
__________________________________

I believe Mr. [Tony] Formosa [racetrack operator] has retained Earnhardt to come in an race, I believe in the last big race of the season.

They are going to announce it later today. It won't do any good, however it will cause some heavy PR. But it will go away after that.

Are we planning a big announcement next week about this property, and does the H. Hollow property a part of the announcement? [refers to Mayor's original plan to move fleamarket to Antioch]

My guys are telling me Channel 4 had a blurb about it.


[Reply Message]
From: alexiapoe@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 2:29 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: Re: Racing

We are still working on some issues - there is no plan for an announcement next week.

Thanks Buck.

Alexia


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: "alexiapoe@yahoo.com"
Subject: RE: Racing
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010 2:33:57 PM
__________________________________

Thanks. I will relax the troops, with much thanks to ch.4

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills.