Despite the well-intentioned (and by 'well-intentioned', I mean 'well-intentioned' the way the former governor of Illinois viewed his state's vacant Senate seat) pleas by some of our area's most outstanding citizenry who, coincidentally, will not be able to turn much, if any, profit from a parking garage. They were hoping for a Convention Center the way they were hoping for a baseball stadium the way they were hoping for the building boom years to continue forever the way they were hoping for a Christmas pony in July.
The decision to build a lasting edifice to all those autos that nobody's buying did not come without some soul searching by the commissioners. Mayor Lou Ann Palmer said that the convention center vs. the parking garage debate "got too complicated" and she opted to stand on her head again, much to the delight of everyone present.
Ken Shelin, who just happens to be running for reelection and will be looking for campaign donations, was appalled at the lack of leadership displayed by his fellow commissioners toward the true vision of the real estate and development moguls in the chamber who would stand to make big bucks off a convention center and, by extension, make big contributions to his war chest.
Even Frederick "Call Me Rick" Piccolo, top executive at Sarasota-Bradenton airport, threw his support behind the construction of a convention center. Not that it will make any difference to him at his new job in Cincinnati........
Commissioner Kirschner, who waxed so eloquent on the virtues of a parking garage that it was roundly agreed that his empassioned oratory won the hearts, minds and votes of the majority of the other commissoners. With a hitch in his voice, he declared, "We can do a world-class garage."
And, so it came to pass.
"Some people hear 'parking garage' and they see this:
I hear 'parking garage' and I see this:"
Sarasota City Commissioner, Kelly "I Really Liked Star Wars" Kirschner
No comments:
Post a Comment