Posted by JoeS on January 24, 2003 at 21:28:23:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Houston Symphony Cutting Jobs, Salaries posted by David on January 24, 2003 at 20:46:19:
Check into Memphis' new roun'-ball arena being built right now. This is our THIRD arena (whaaaaa???? YEP, you read it correctly). The FIRST one (built in the 1960's) is perfectly adequate and sits empty and decaying - ' can't even be torn down because it was declared a historic building or something.
For the SECOND arena, there is actually a scheme to sell it to some Indians (or is that
"American-Americans") to be turned into a CASINO!!!
Now, to the arena that is being built NOW: ONLY the newspaper/TV sports-news-jocks and a handful of elite rich and politicians want this arena. Well over 90% of Memphians do NOT. They were pushing it through with NO referendum and a large group of activists was trying to FORCE a referendum. The politicians and the elitists (lead by the owner of AutoZone) legally maneuvered around the referendum. (Can you say "PAY-OFF"?)
EVEN IF THERE IS A REFERENDUM ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS... as stadia and arenas are simply structures that house businesses (This one in particular as it will house ONLY the pro roun'-ball team), taxing folks to build business buildings for others is still defined as stealing in my book.