Here is a link to my 2005 wishes. (I didn't do it in 2006)
To summarize, they were:
5. Reduce Crime (possible success?)
4. Help Prairie Heights Succeed (houses coming this Spring)
3. Continue the downtown "momentum" (slowed, but continuing)
2. Redevelop the former cinema/hotel property on North Brady (FAIL)
1. Follow Fly's Rule #3 (FAIL)
I could pretty much use the same 5 again, but I'm going to come up with a revised list sometime in the next few days.
What would you folks put on a list of New Year's wishes?
Also, I hope all of you had as busy and enjoyable of Christmas as I did.
5 comments:
The number one wish for anyone hoping to see downtown Davenport continue moving forward with momentum has to be some type of resolution of the Isle of Casino situation.
Virtually everything depends on a mutually agreed upon compromise to get the boat off the riverfront and get the casino put in place elsewhere.
Continued Centennial Park improvements, the renovation of LeClaire Park into a riverfront focal point, a renovated and ALIVE Blackhawk Hotel functioning as an anchor for that part of town, etc., etc.
The problem is, there really is no great incentive for IOC to move. They are treading water and not making as much as they could in Davenport, but on the other hand, they're not losing money and even more importantly, under the status quo, they're not SPENDING any money either. I fear they are content to watch their Bettendorf and Waterloo properties to see if they get a good return on investment on them, while squatting on Davenport's riverfront indefinitely.
And I don't see a lot of leverage by the city government to get them to move. Sure, they could try to rescind their license, but that is a difficult proposition and the time frame the IOC could tie it up in court is likely longer than when the license comes up for re-approval in two years anyway.
Gluba has appointed Community and Economic Development Chairman to Shawn Hamerlinck.
God help us. I would think you would want someone in that position that is FOR growth! (i.e. PETCO in NW Davenport)
He is not bad. My worry is Meeker who is so "for Growth" that he will build anything. More the same junk.
So, what is it that we have built that is junk?
The apartments in the corner of Main and 15th are STILL vacant because we allow the developers to build anything anywhere without thought.
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