I finally got a new inner tube for my bike, and decided to ride to work last night. It showed me that I'm out of shape in my old age! Just kidding folks. Actually I wish I had brought my camera with me, as I saw tons of wildlife (even deer) and other interesting things on my way home this morning. I missed Bike-to-Work Week by a month, but its never too late to save gas/money/the environment/take your pick.
Good job to the council, including Keith and Bill Lynn, who passed the Downtown Design Guidelines last night. If the Village of East Davenport is worth protecting from crappy buildings, I would hope that our downtown core/central business district is worth protecting as well.
The second house across from Sacred Heart was torn down yesterday, which really opens up a new view of the Cathedral. They really knew how to build 'em back then.
Other than that, I'll just call this an open thread.
21 comments:
Our cathedral is smaller than many village churches in europe, but oh well, perspective. Have you read the qconline editorial about the rythm city move? I think it pretty much sums up how this shafts the city. QCI, really really are you in favor of this? Do you not see that casinos are not good for spin off development and other activity? Any research on this subject shows the same results, casino patrons have extremely limited economic impact outside the casino. On the other hand, casinos bleed spending power from gamblers which detracts from their ability to contribute to the economy. Also since the Rythm city wants tax rebates its contribution to the city is next to nothing. Note that it wants $5M from RDA which would have otherwise gone to charities. QCI think this through.
-sally
I read the QCOnline editorial and it read to me like the author hasn't been over to Davenport or to the River Center. Has anyone read the letter of intent outside of city hall?
I'm still looking for intelligent discussion in the media about this.
The casino wants $5MM from the RDA? I thought the casino was the source of the RDA's funds. What am I missing here?
The $5 million from the RDA was in the 2005 agreement as well. It was to be used for public infrastructure improvements.
The Scott County Regional Authority, by the way, committed $10 million in funds to the Bettendorf casino hotel project.
The concept is that using RDA or SCRA money for projects that will increase future earnings is wise. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it does make some sense.
Just because the casino is asking for the sky does not mean they will get it.
Yeah, Sally, I never said I was for the agreement as proposed by IOC.
All I've said is that I'm not 100% opposed to them going into part of the RiverCenter, provided that it is expanded to the north to make up for some of the lost space.
What I am opposed to, is the casino leaving downtown. I said most of this in front of the council, but here goes again.
Not many casino patrons may venture outside of the casino, but at least if the operation is downtown they see what's available. If the casino is out by the interstate, folks can come in from wherever, gamble, and drive home without ever seeing that we have a downtown, much less an increasingly vibrant one. Also, it gives the downtown something that's happening 24/7. During the Louisville trip, some of us tried to go out for a drink around midnight on a Sunday night. Even in a large city like that, with a much larger downtown, there was nothing open. If the casino has an attached hotel, they'll return to being open 24/7, and Davenport will at least have something going on downtown around the clock.
Hopefully city staff and the council can wrangle a good deal out of IOC, or threaten them further with forcing them out as our license operators.
"I said most of this in front of the council, but here goes again."
QCI:
I watch all the meetings, and I 've never see you speak before the council. Did I fall asleep?
It was the December 6th "special council meeting" that directed staff to look at creating the zoning option for casinos. Blog commenters (you guys are never wrong, right?) were all saying that the council was going to approve the casino moving to the interstate at the meeting, which is why I attended, and spoke against that. Then it turned out that that wasn't what the meeting was about. Oh well.
3rd Street Mart liquor license is REVOKED!!!
That's great Shelley! Thank you for letting us know!
Glad to hear that news.
Out of curiousity does anyone know what happened to the colonel? He was there then he was gone, now there's a wierd page where he used to be. Any ideas?
He's basically retired.
When he deleted his blog a cyber squatter immediately snatched up the name, since there were already a number of sites linking to it.
I'm not even sure if he reads the blogs anymore.
QCI, besides conjecturing that the casino remaining downtown would benifit the downtown based on what you THINK would be good for the city, have you actually done any research regarding the subject? Really how do you actually know what consequences would occur? The answer is you don´t but yet you stalwartly defend an issue about which you have little acquired knowledge. (note this is not an ad hominem attack but rather a reductio ad absurdum)
-you know who
Since it's an open thread, I thought I'd point out that the Central High Class of 1997 is having its 10th reunion tomorrow. Information at http://bluedevils97.com.
Please spread the word to any '97ers you know, since there are still a lot of people whose e-mail addresses the class officers don't have (see http://bluedevils97.com/missing.php).
Does anyone know if Wally is going to run for 5th ward or if Lynn is planning on running for any office?
I watch the meetings on the tube and there is a women from the meetings who speaks on occassion and seems well informed. I think she would be good for the 5th ward. I haven't seen much about people running except for Boom and 1st ward folks. Since the Colonel is retired maybe QCI can keep us in the loop.
yeah - how about an update you political junkiies
Are there any rumors out there of anyone running for 7th ward alderman besides Alderman Barnhill?
The 7th ward needs some new blood. Alderman Barnhill has been in this position to long, and has become complacent in his duties. He is very incoherent when he talks and jumps from one subject to another. I don't feel he listens to his constituents anymore. He might "play" the part but he is not a good listener. If you call him at home and he is not there don't even try to talk to his wife Sandra. She is one of the rudest persons I have ever had the displeasure to talk to. Just politely tell her you want to talk to your alderman and not his wife and hang up before she starts in.
Yes, I'm a little dissatisfied with our 7th ward alderman, the Mayor, and the two at large.
There is someone that is going to run in the 7th ward against Barney. This man's view on Davenport One and giving the store away is the oposition of Barnhill.
One night in the chambers Barney started yelling at some women sitting waiting for the meeting to start. There is something wrong with him. Have you ever noticed when he speaks he addresses the viewing public?
I heard that there is a young man approx 23yrs old that has been in the eye of some of the heavy players. This "kid" has the charisma of Bill Clinton and the smarts of Bill Gates. Just what the doctor ordered! I do hope he runs, we need him more now than ever.
That's interesting...is a 23 year old kid electable?...itd be fun to see this guy and Barney throw down
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