News conference at 10:30 in railyards.
- Thread starter Circa_1985_Fan
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This is the first sign that Thomas has actually acknowledged that the arena is something that is vital to their plans. So now can they come up with an arena plan that MSE will buy off on. And even if everyone who plays on the same team actually starts playing together, how do you gap the huge fricking hole you spent the last few weeks digging?
Looks like Thomas Enterprises' is taking it to the Maloofs. The Maloofs had some harsh words for them a few days ago. So what does Thomas Ent do in reply, they donate a huge chunk of money to the campaign the Maloofs had once promised to contribute to, but now refuse.
It's a bit of a humiliation tactic-- One side wants an arena, but don't want to contribute to getting the financing done, while the other, the one that’s "in it for the short-term", is contributing. Thomas Ent might own the land, but they still need the city and public to ok their plans. What better way to generate some good will, right. Thomas Ent is making the Maloofs look like cheapskates, and if their were bad feelings between the two before, this won’t help.
Or am I just being overly cynical?
It's a bit of a humiliation tactic-- One side wants an arena, but don't want to contribute to getting the financing done, while the other, the one that’s "in it for the short-term", is contributing. Thomas Ent might own the land, but they still need the city and public to ok their plans. What better way to generate some good will, right. Thomas Ent is making the Maloofs look like cheapskates, and if their were bad feelings between the two before, this won’t help.
Or am I just being overly cynical?
I think you're misreading the message. If anything, Thomas Enterprises is sending a message that they're serious about wanting to get this deal done and they're willing to put their money into supporting the project. I think that's an indication they want to work with the city/county and the Maloofs.
And I get the exact opposite opinion about what they're saying to the Maloofs. If anything, I think this could be construed as a peace offering, since Thomas Enterprises already came out and admitted they would be revising their plans to better suit the needs of MSE.
And I get the exact opposite opinion about what they're saying to the Maloofs. If anything, I think this could be construed as a peace offering, since Thomas Enterprises already came out and admitted they would be revising their plans to better suit the needs of MSE.
The Bee has their story up:
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/27181.html
Pro-arena forces get $2 million infusion
By Dorothy Korber - Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:58 pm PDT Thursday, September 21, 2006
Print | E-Mail | Comments (0)
Suheil Totah, vice president of development for Thomas Enterprises, announces the firm's $2 million pledge to the Yes on Measures Q & R Campaign Thursday.
Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench
The backers of a new sports arena in downtown Sacramento announced a $2 million contribution to their campaign war chest Thursday morning. The donor is Thomas Enterprises, the developer who hopes to build an entertainment complex build on the 240-acre railyard site.
The cash pledge will underwrite the Yes on Q & R Campaign, the backers of two measures on Sacramento County's Nov. 7 ballot.
The measures would create a quarter-cent sales which over 15 years would generate about $1.2 billion. About half that amount would finance a replacement for Arco Arena, with the rest earmarked for local projects across the county.
At Tuesday's press conference at the Sacramento Amtrak station, boosters of the ballot measures focused on the importance of redeveloping the abandoned railyard with hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants and a public transportation hub. Most speakers downplayed the role of the Sacramento Kings basketball team in the equation.
"We have a great opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Suheil Totah, vice-president of development for Thomas enterprises. "This effort is not about one individual interest - it is about revitalizing the railyard."
No representatives of the Kings, who currently play at Arco, were at the press conference. The Maloof family, owners of the team, have endorsed the sales-tax campaign but are now locked in a dispute with the city over parking revenues and other aspects of the proposal.
Outside Thursday's media event, two opponents of Measures Q and R - local members of the Sierra Club and the Young Republicans - handed out their material.
"It's a classic David-and-Goliath struggle," said Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club. "Their side has millions of dollars in developer money. Our side has the truth: This is a bad deal that only benefits business interests.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/27181.html
Pro-arena forces get $2 million infusion
By Dorothy Korber - Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:58 pm PDT Thursday, September 21, 2006
Print | E-Mail | Comments (0)
Suheil Totah, vice president of development for Thomas Enterprises, announces the firm's $2 million pledge to the Yes on Measures Q & R Campaign Thursday.
Sacramento Bee/Randy Pench
The backers of a new sports arena in downtown Sacramento announced a $2 million contribution to their campaign war chest Thursday morning. The donor is Thomas Enterprises, the developer who hopes to build an entertainment complex build on the 240-acre railyard site.
The cash pledge will underwrite the Yes on Q & R Campaign, the backers of two measures on Sacramento County's Nov. 7 ballot.
The measures would create a quarter-cent sales which over 15 years would generate about $1.2 billion. About half that amount would finance a replacement for Arco Arena, with the rest earmarked for local projects across the county.
At Tuesday's press conference at the Sacramento Amtrak station, boosters of the ballot measures focused on the importance of redeveloping the abandoned railyard with hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants and a public transportation hub. Most speakers downplayed the role of the Sacramento Kings basketball team in the equation.
"We have a great opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Suheil Totah, vice-president of development for Thomas enterprises. "This effort is not about one individual interest - it is about revitalizing the railyard."
No representatives of the Kings, who currently play at Arco, were at the press conference. The Maloof family, owners of the team, have endorsed the sales-tax campaign but are now locked in a dispute with the city over parking revenues and other aspects of the proposal.
Outside Thursday's media event, two opponents of Measures Q and R - local members of the Sierra Club and the Young Republicans - handed out their material.
"It's a classic David-and-Goliath struggle," said Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club. "Their side has millions of dollars in developer money. Our side has the truth: This is a bad deal that only benefits business interests.
Give me a break. Their side doesn't have the truth, it has an opinion. Big difference. We won't know if it's a good deal or a bad deal for sure until it's already done(if it ever gets done). This is a big opportunity for Sacramento to add a first class entertainment venue(arena) and to turn the rail yards into something useful.
You know, I'm beginning to get just a little weary of the Maloof watch that seems to permeate all of this.
So no one from the Maloofs was there. WHO CARES??? From what they said on the news, it was a hastily called press conference.
I'm done trying to read too much into what the Maloofs do or don't do. I believe they want this measure to pass; I believe they want to stay in Sacramento. I think they've been about as honest as they can be, despite the continual finger-pointing and whispering that's been done about them and their motives.
Are they the sharpest PR people in the world? Nope. Do they sometimes lead with their hearts and not their heads? Yep. And leading with their hearts is part of the passion that makes them such devoted fans of their teams.
I'm glad the developer is going to fund this measure because that way R.E. Graswich and others of his ilk will look pretty silly pointing fingers at the Maloofs, who may now be relegated to the sidelines as the city/county and Thomas Enterprises take the lead.
I'm all for it.
So no one from the Maloofs was there. WHO CARES??? From what they said on the news, it was a hastily called press conference.
I'm done trying to read too much into what the Maloofs do or don't do. I believe they want this measure to pass; I believe they want to stay in Sacramento. I think they've been about as honest as they can be, despite the continual finger-pointing and whispering that's been done about them and their motives.
Are they the sharpest PR people in the world? Nope. Do they sometimes lead with their hearts and not their heads? Yep. And leading with their hearts is part of the passion that makes them such devoted fans of their teams.
I'm glad the developer is going to fund this measure because that way R.E. Graswich and others of his ilk will look pretty silly pointing fingers at the Maloofs, who may now be relegated to the sidelines as the city/county and Thomas Enterprises take the lead.
I'm all for it.
The point is the Sierra Club spokesman, Bill Magavern, is acting as though having something that's good for business is automatically bad for everyone else. Who does he think employs people?
LOL I dunno.
I just don't see why all these groups are against an arena and saying it's a bad deal. I mean it cleans up a toxic mess, it gives Sacramento a nice new entertainment venue where we'll have more than just the Kings, it revitalizes downtown, it creates jobs and businesses, it doesn't harm the environment, yet all we hear from these groups are "DONT VOTE FOR THAT ITS A BAD DEAL IT'S NOT WORTH YOUR 30 BUCKS A YEAR(or however much it costs)!"
Another thing we hear is that this really hurts the poor people. Well the arena vote would revitalize downtown and there should be some new jobs opening. It might be naive for me to think this, but why cant the poor people get some of those jobs? There is going to be resturaunts, businesses, a bass pro thing, new stores, that sounds like it will create jobs. Can't some of the poorer people get a job there? Doesn't that help them?
Now the Sierra Club is coming out against this too? I don't get it. The railyards are an eyesore and a mess. If Sac gets a new arena that will be cleaned up. How is cleaning up a mess and revitalizing downtown bad? It's not like they're hacking up a bunch of trees or farmland to find space for the arena and the other stuff, they're cleaning up a big toxic mess. That sounds pretty good to me.
It's politics, pure and simple, BMiller52. If you try and understand the reasons behind the Sierra Club and others coming out against these measures, you'll probably end up with a really bad headache and no better idea of why they're doing what they're doing...
It's a common ploy for people to say "It hurts poor people" or "It's bad for the environment" or "It only helps business." They can't give you examples or, when they do, it's like the woman who said she wouldn't be able to buy milk for her kids if she had to pay the extra sales tax. It makes no sense...
It's a common ploy for people to say "It hurts poor people" or "It's bad for the environment" or "It only helps business." They can't give you examples or, when they do, it's like the woman who said she wouldn't be able to buy milk for her kids if she had to pay the extra sales tax. It makes no sense...
Funny you mention the beetle - I've been on a lot of job sites over the past few years where they have had the beetle habitat (read: bush) roped off as habitat, but have never seen a beetle or been on a site where beetles were found. Are we sure they really exist? I think someone is saving the bushes for later use....
Aunt Martha: For a gallon of elderberry wine, I take one teaspoon full of arsenic, then add half a teaspoon full of strychnine, and then just a pinch of cyanide.
Martha Brewster: One of our gentlemen found time to say 'How delicious!' before he died.
Aunt Martha: For a gallon of elderberry wine, I take one teaspoon full of arsenic, then add half a teaspoon full of strychnine, and then just a pinch of cyanide.
Martha Brewster: One of our gentlemen found time to say 'How delicious!' before he died.
I am getting so tired of the media spin on this stuff. They made a big deal about the Maloofs not being there, and then resorted to talking about what happened last week. Then, at the very end, they said the developer plans to have new designs ready for the Maloofs by next week.
Well, which is it? The Maloofs are out, which we know isn't true, or the Maloofs are just waiting for the revisions?
I need a drink.
Well, which is it? The Maloofs are out, which we know isn't true, or the Maloofs are just waiting for the revisions?
I need a drink.
Maybe the California Spotted Owl is living in one of the old buildings?
Or maybe, just maybe, they're hoping to find an Elderberry Longhorn Beetle.
Or maybe, just maybe, they're hoping to find an Elderberry Longhorn Beetle.
Or maybe.... Just maybe... They are trying to protect the toxic beast that lives on the grounds.
(Like that cheesy 80s B Horror movie which the monster lived in the sewers and was made from Toxic Waste.... I cant remember the name! It had periods between each letter)
