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Dear Mr. Bowman and Councilors,
When Sam Katz ended his tenure as mayor of Winnipeg, he left with a lot of Winnipeggers, including many city councilors, feeling quote bitter and angry. This is not without justification. Mr. Katz had a lot of these feelings coming to him.
However, one thing that Katz has definitely done for this city is bring an enjoyable and low-cost form of entertainment to Winnipeggers in the form of the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Baseball games at Shaw Park are an enjoyable way for Winnipeggers to come to downtown, enjoy some fresh air, and cheer on the team without breaking the bank. Whatever you may think of Sam Katz's term as mayor, the value-added benefits of a downtown baseball venue cannot be denied.
Certainly, the $1 per year that the Goldeyes were paying for Shaw Park needed to end. But the proposal you will be voting on next week is, in my opinion and in the opinion of many, a reasonable one. I, and others, believe that some of you are holding a grudge against Katz and putting that grudge ahead of the best interests of downtown Winnipeg, and of the city in general.
You are essentially being given two choices here. Keep the Goldeyes, get the tax revenue, the parking lot revenue, etc., from the team. Or say no to the Goldeyes, have them leave, and spend money maintaining a stadium without a tenant. Trust me, there is no lineup of teams waiting in the wings. So which of the two options is better for the city: gaining tax revenue, supporting downtown business, and bringing people downtown? Or paying out money for zero returns and taking away another reason for people to go downtown? To me, and to others, it's a no-brainer.Is a grudge against Sam Katz worth the cost to Winnipeg?
You talk about how important it is to revitalize downtown. You just offered 28 million dollars of our money to a Portage Place revitalization project that has absolutely no guarantees and is certain to cost way more than this going forward. But the way to revitalize downtown, ultimately, is to give people a reason to go. You can build all the apartment buildings and condos you want, you can beg, plead, cajole, guilt-trip and do whatever you want to try to convince people to go downtown, but ultimately, if you don't give them a reason, it'll all be for naught. Why in the world would you want to be taking away a reason for people to come downtown, and more than that, a reason people will want to come downtown? Isn't that what revitalization of the downtown is all about, providing an incentive for people to freely and by their own choice go downtown, shop in its stores, and eat in its restaurants? Is there any good reason whatsoever to choose zero-return cost over profit? You weren't elected to take revenge on a former mayor, you weren't elected so you could use your power to forward your own agendas and grudges, you were elected to do what's right for Winnipeg and its people. Here's a chance for you to do just that. Please think really hard before you turn beautiful Shaw Park into a derelict. Please do what's best for the city you serve.
When Sam Katz ended his tenure as mayor of Winnipeg, he left with a lot of Winnipeggers, including many city councilors, feeling quote bitter and angry. This is not without justification. Mr. Katz had a lot of these feelings coming to him.
However, one thing that Katz has definitely done for this city is bring an enjoyable and low-cost form of entertainment to Winnipeggers in the form of the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Baseball games at Shaw Park are an enjoyable way for Winnipeggers to come to downtown, enjoy some fresh air, and cheer on the team without breaking the bank. Whatever you may think of Sam Katz's term as mayor, the value-added benefits of a downtown baseball venue cannot be denied.
Certainly, the $1 per year that the Goldeyes were paying for Shaw Park needed to end. But the proposal you will be voting on next week is, in my opinion and in the opinion of many, a reasonable one. I, and others, believe that some of you are holding a grudge against Katz and putting that grudge ahead of the best interests of downtown Winnipeg, and of the city in general.
You are essentially being given two choices here. Keep the Goldeyes, get the tax revenue, the parking lot revenue, etc., from the team. Or say no to the Goldeyes, have them leave, and spend money maintaining a stadium without a tenant. Trust me, there is no lineup of teams waiting in the wings. So which of the two options is better for the city: gaining tax revenue, supporting downtown business, and bringing people downtown? Or paying out money for zero returns and taking away another reason for people to go downtown? To me, and to others, it's a no-brainer.Is a grudge against Sam Katz worth the cost to Winnipeg?
You talk about how important it is to revitalize downtown. You just offered 28 million dollars of our money to a Portage Place revitalization project that has absolutely no guarantees and is certain to cost way more than this going forward. But the way to revitalize downtown, ultimately, is to give people a reason to go. You can build all the apartment buildings and condos you want, you can beg, plead, cajole, guilt-trip and do whatever you want to try to convince people to go downtown, but ultimately, if you don't give them a reason, it'll all be for naught. Why in the world would you want to be taking away a reason for people to come downtown, and more than that, a reason people will want to come downtown? Isn't that what revitalization of the downtown is all about, providing an incentive for people to freely and by their own choice go downtown, shop in its stores, and eat in its restaurants? Is there any good reason whatsoever to choose zero-return cost over profit? You weren't elected to take revenge on a former mayor, you weren't elected so you could use your power to forward your own agendas and grudges, you were elected to do what's right for Winnipeg and its people. Here's a chance for you to do just that. Please think really hard before you turn beautiful Shaw Park into a derelict. Please do what's best for the city you serve.
