Oh, the irony

[Stoner]

Donn Esmonde (awesome columnist) writes in Sunday's Snooze:

 

We have done everything but beg Bass Pro to come here. And I suspect that knee pads are on order. We are willing to build Bass Pro a store, at a cost of $35 million tax dollars. Along with it comes $41 million of underground and next-door parking needed by the big-box retailer. The proposed 20-year lease collects a mere $1 annual rent and requires just a $600,000 annual maintenance fee.

Jordan Levy, Larry Quinn and others on the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. board say the outlay is needed in backwater Buffalo. Said Levy in a recent public forum, “No one else wants to come to downtown Buffalo.”

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/06/06/1072830/not-too-late-to-fish-for-givebacks.html

 

Ironic, isn't it, that LQ would spend so wildly and recklessly to lure a free agent to Buffalo? When it's OSP's dime, though, it's a different story.

[SwampD]

Donn Esmonde (awesome columnist) writes in Sunday's Snooze:

 

We have done everything but beg Bass Pro to come here. And I suspect that knee pads are on order. We are willing to build Bass Pro a store, at a cost of $35 million tax dollars. Along with it comes $41 million of underground and next-door parking needed by the big-box retailer. The proposed 20-year lease collects a mere $1 annual rent and requires just a $600,000 annual maintenance fee.

Jordan Levy, Larry Quinn and others on the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. board say the outlay is needed in backwater Buffalo. Said Levy in a recent public forum, “No one else wants to come to downtown Buffalo.”

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/06/06/1072830/not-too-late-to-fish-for-givebacks.html

 

Ironic, isn't it, that LQ would spend so wildly and recklessly to lure a free agent to Buffalo? When it's OSP's dime, though, it's a different story.

I gotta say, this is a big mistake by Bass Pro. I come back to Buffalo several times a year and drop lots of Jersey dollars on fishing stuff. I would do it their store if it was there. Someday, people will realize what an incredible resource the lakes and the river are to that region. If (when) I move back, they will be a major reason why.

[BuffalOhio]

Why does everyone seem to think a Bass Pro Shop is going to save downtown Buffalo? I just don't get it. How about providing easier access to the waterfront? Move I-190 inland a bit so the river can actually be an asset. Stupid stupid stupid politicians.

[SwampD]

Why does everyone seem to think a Bass Pro Shop is going to save downtown Buffalo? I just don't get it. How about providing easier access to the waterfront? Move I-190 inland a bit so the river can actually be an asset. Stupid stupid stupid politicians.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

I can't put enough thumbs ups in this post to show you how much I agree with this.

[darksabre]

Why does everyone seem to think a Bass Pro Shop is going to save downtown Buffalo? I just don't get it. How about providing easier access to the waterfront? Move I-190 inland a bit so the river can actually be an asset. Stupid stupid stupid politicians.

 

You stop it with that rational thinking and common sense this instant!

[deluca67]

Donn Esmonde (awesome columnist) writes in Sunday's Snooze:

 

We have done everything but beg Bass Pro to come here. And I suspect that knee pads are on order. We are willing to build Bass Pro a store, at a cost of $35 million tax dollars. Along with it comes $41 million of underground and next-door parking needed by the big-box retailer. The proposed 20-year lease collects a mere $1 annual rent and requires just a $600,000 annual maintenance fee.

Jordan Levy, Larry Quinn and others on the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. board say the outlay is needed in backwater Buffalo. Said Levy in a recent public forum, “No one else wants to come to downtown Buffalo.”

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/06/06/1072830/not-too-late-to-fish-for-givebacks.html

 

Ironic, isn't it, that LQ would spend so wildly and recklessly to lure a free agent to Buffalo? When it's OSP's dime, though, it's a different story.

You would think that he would stay away from the big free agent retailer at $35 million and sign a bunch of lessor free agent retailers at 2-3 million. :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

[static70]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

I can't put enough thumbs ups in this post to show you how much I agree with this.

Not plausible, great idea though.

Moving the 190 away from the river, even if it were to subject itself to Vulcan street/Niagara street as the run it would still cost literally so much money it will never get done.

But, I confess, the idea is the right idea. Just not financially viable.

[nfreeman]

Donn Esmonde (awesome columnist) writes in Sunday's Snooze:

 

We have done everything but beg Bass Pro to come here. And I suspect that knee pads are on order. We are willing to build Bass Pro a store, at a cost of $35 million tax dollars. Along with it comes $41 million of underground and next-door parking needed by the big-box retailer. The proposed 20-year lease collects a mere $1 annual rent and requires just a $600,000 annual maintenance fee.

Jordan Levy, Larry Quinn and others on the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. board say the outlay is needed in backwater Buffalo. Said Levy in a recent public forum, “No one else wants to come to downtown Buffalo.”

 

http://www.buffalone...-givebacks.html

 

Ironic, isn't it, that LQ would spend so wildly and recklessly to lure a free agent to Buffalo? When it's OSP's dime, though, it's a different story.

While I wouldn't be surprised at all if this store did not turn into a money-maker for the city and the state, this should be the key factor in the analysis -- so it would have been nice if Esmonde had given some of those details (e.g. projected # of jobs created & related income tax paid, projected sales tax receipts, etc.).

 

Move I-190 inland a bit so the river can actually be an asset. Stupid stupid stupid politicians.

Not plausible, great idea though.

Moving the 190 away from the river, even if it were to subject itself to Vulcan street/Niagara street as the run it would still cost literally so much money it will never get done.quote]

beat me to it.

[shrader]

Not plausible, great idea though.

Moving the 190 away from the river, even if it were to subject itself to Vulcan street/Niagara street as the run it would still cost literally so much money it will never get done.

But, I confess, the idea is the right idea. Just not financially viable.

 

Boston basically did something similar and look how long that took. It's going to take one ###### of a financial boom for them to ever even consider it. Such a shame, but it is what it is.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Larry Quinn is a scumbag of the highest form.

 

I'm not sure how many people here know he was responsible for building the Convention Center and Hotel in the middle of a crack dealing area instead of on the water where it was going to be. Why? He and his buddies would get the contracts.

 

The city will spend tens of millions to get Bass Pro....and guess what? All of Quinn's buddies get those construction contracts and the kickbacks come flying.

 

The only reason Golisano bought the Sabres was because Quinn could get debt relief on the purchase for him. That wasn't part of the deal for anyone else. A few years later....Quinn gets his kickback in the form of % of the Sabres.

 

Larry Quinn might be the #1 reason Buffalo has been stuck in a septic tank for 40 years......

[nfreeman]

Larry Quinn is a scumbag of the highest form.

 

I'm not sure how many people here know he was responsible for building the Convention Center and Hotel in the middle of a crack dealing area instead of on the water where it was going to be. Why? He and his buddies would get the contracts.

 

The city will spend tens of millions to get Bass Pro....and guess what? All of Quinn's buddies get those construction contracts and the kickbacks come flying.

 

The only reason Golisano bought the Sabres was because Quinn could get debt relief on the purchase for him. That wasn't part of the deal for anyone else. A few years later....Quinn gets his kickback in the form of % of the Sabres.

 

Larry Quinn might be the #1 reason Buffalo has been stuck in a septic tank for 40 years......

The first part of this post might be true. The part about TG doesn't really make sense -- no one was going to buy the team without making as good an economic deal as he could get. Regardless of whether the deal included debt forgiveness, tax breaks, or whatever else, the total economic package had to be worthwhile. TG got a deal that he thought was good enough to make it worthwhile, so he bought it. My recollection is that Hamister was the only other possibility, and he ended up not having enough cash to close. So TG (no doubt with plenty of input from LQ) didn't have much competition and had plenty of leverage to negotiate a good deal for himself. So what?

 

The bolded sentence is nonsense. There are deep-seated structural reasons for Buffalo's decline.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

The first part of this post might be true. The part about TG doesn't really make sense -- no one was going to buy the team without making as good an economic deal as he could get. Regardless of whether the deal included debt forgiveness, tax breaks, or whatever else, the total economic package had to be worthwhile. TG got a deal that he thought was good enough to make it worthwhile, so he bought it. My recollection is that Hamister was the only other possibility, and he ended up not having enough cash to close. So TG (no doubt with plenty of input from LQ) didn't have much competition and had plenty of leverage to negotiate a good deal for himself. So what?

 

The bolded sentence is nonsense. There are deep-seated structural reasons for Buffalo's decline.

 

Quinn went to Golisano because of political reasons....which we are now seeing unfold.

 

Quinn IIIISSSSSS the deep seated structural reason for Buffalo's decline. He is the Baghdad Bob of Buffalo. Tapdance for the masses, build a $30 million ditch on taxpayer money, put up a few plaques showing a mule named Sal....then count your cash as the Rubes of Buffalo cry "Progress!"

 

The guy really is a mastermind......evil....but he knows his market, has his connections, and lives off the city like a suckerfish on a shark.

[static70]

Boston basically did something similar and look how long that took. It's going to take one ###### of a financial boom for them to ever even consider it. Such a shame, but it is what it is.

Ah yes, the "Big Dig" or "Billion Dollar Hole" as it was sometimes referred to as.

Boston received a healthy injection of Federal Dollars for that project, then, when it opened, it killed some poor woman.

Fast track construction gave way to questionable engineering and development practices that cost that woman her life.

Sad actually. But hey, the project was completed, good for Boston.

[static70]

Quinn went to Golisano because of political reasons....which we are now seeing unfold.

 

Quinn IIIISSSSSS the deep seated structural reason for Buffalo's decline. He is the Baghdad Bob of Buffalo. Tapdance for the masses, build a $30 million ditch on taxpayer money, put up a few plaques showing a mule named Sal....then count your cash as the Rubes of Buffalo cry "Progress!"

 

The guy really is a mastermind......evil....but he knows his market, has his connections, and lives off the city like a suckerfish on a shark.

I'll go even further, its the "dumbed down" electorate in Western New York that keep guys like Quinn going. By voting in people he can "work" with to develope these types of projects only enables him further to spend taxpayer dollars.

 

Its the vicious circle of elite power houses that have doomed this area. I have heard some terrific ideas from the workers in this area, only to watch as they never come to reality because it serves no purpose for those in power. Another truly sad state of affairs here.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I'll go even further, its the "dumbed down" electorate in Western New York that keep guys like Quinn going. By voting in people he can "work" with to develope these types of projects only enables him further to spend taxpayer dollars.

 

Its the vicious circle of elite power houses that have doomed this area. I have heard some terrific ideas from the workers in this area, only to watch as they never come to reality because it serves no purpose for those in power. Another truly sad state of affairs here.

 

Sure....and what ends up happening is that there are so few options out there for the average worker, that they end up having to become part of the system and part of the problem that ends up keeping things stagnant.

 

I am very worried for the area given NYS pending bankruptcy. God forbid the pension system had to restructure and all holy ###### would break loose.

[shrader]

Ah yes, the "Big Dig" or "Billion Dollar Hole" as it was sometimes referred to as.

Boston received a healthy injection of Federal Dollars for that project, then, when it opened, it killed some poor woman.

Fast track construction gave way to questionable engineering and development practices that cost that woman her life.

Sad actually. But hey, the project was completed, good for Boston.

 

It just goes to show you how much of a project a massive overhaul can be. That whole thing will never officially be finished. It's fun when they randomly shut down certain portions of the tunnel at night, without actually putting up any signs that say as much.