Mayor Miner appoints members of Stadium Task Force

[MaxwellCuse]

I am admittedly one of those "dopes" who don't know squat about the players in this farce as I moved out of CNY 30-some years ago. However, I've been around NYS politics for a long time and reluctantly I've got to agree with Kathleen Joy -- the project is dead.

"Knowing how things work, we missed the opportunity to set aside $250 million from the state for a downtown project,'' Joy said. "We missed it, it's gone. There's not going to be any county money available, there's no state money available. We can have a task force, we can ask questions. My personal opinion is that all of those efforts are moot.''

 

[rrlbees]

I am admittedly one of those "dopes" who don't know squat about the players in this farce as I moved out of CNY 30-some years ago. However, I've been around NYS politics for a long time and reluctantly I've got to agree with Kathleen Joy -- the project is dead.

"Knowing how things work, we missed the opportunity to set aside $250 million from the state for a downtown project,'' Joy said. "We missed it, it's gone. There's not going to be any county money available, there's no state money available. We can have a task force, we can ask questions. My personal opinion is that all of those efforts are moot.''

That's the question/point others here have made. There was a deadline a couple weeks ago for the state money request. That has passed. So unless we think, or have been given some assurances, that the same money will be there next year, what's the point of all this? Unless they have another sugar daddy that is going to replace the state and their $200m gift.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

From the city facebook page

City of Syracuse - Office of the Mayor
Miner Appoints Members of Stadium Task Force
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Mayor Stephanie A. Miner today announced the members of a new task force to study a proposed sports arena in the City of Syracuse. The task force was originally announced last Thursday in Mayor Miner’s 2014 State of the City address.

“Any project concerning Syracuse University athletics is bound to generate interest and conversation in our community,” said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner. “When we approach such a major possibility for development, we need to do so methodically to ensure the right choices are made for this once in a generation decision.”

This task force will study the impact any proposed new stadium would have on nearby neighborhoods, municipal infrastructure, and economic development. Members of the task force will include community stakeholders, experts in urban planning and economic development, and public officials (or their designees).

The task force members and their designees are as follows:

• Benjamin Walsh (Chair), Deputy Commissioner, City of Syracuse Department of Neighborhood and Business Development
• Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor, New York State (Designee)
• Hon. Joanne M. Mahoney, County Executive, Onondaga County (Designee)
• Kent D. Syverud, Chancellor & President, Syracuse University (Designee)
• Dr. Gregory Eastwood, Interim President, Upstate Medical University
• Housing Visions Unlimited (Designee: Karen Jones, neighborhood resident)
• Kenyon Craig, President, Housing Visions Unlimited
• George Curry, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, SUNY ESF
• Carolyn Evans-Dean, Community Activist
• Robert Haley, Director, CNY Chapter, American Institute of Architects
• Pastor Daren Jaime, People’s AME Zion Church
• Julius Lawrence, Community Activist
• Rebecca Livengood, Member, City of Syracuse Planning Commission
• Joseph O’Hara, Executive Director, PEACE, Inc.
• CenterState CEO (Designee: Allen Naples, CNY Regional President, M&T Bank)
• David Mankiewicz, East Genesee Street Regents Association / University Hill Corporation
• Robert Doucette, Partner, Paramount Realty Group
• Hon. John A. DeFrancisco, New York State Senate
• Hon. David J. Valesky, New York State Senate
• Hon. William B. Magnarelli, New York State Assembly
• Hon. Samuel D. Roberts, New York State Assembly (Designee: Bobby Gaulden, neighborhood resident)
• Hon. Linda Ervin, Onondaga County Legislature
• Hon. Helen Hudson, Majority Leader, Syracuse Common Council (Designee: Hon. Pamela Hunter, Syracuse Common Council)
• Hon. Chad Ryan, Syracuse Common Council

Committees and task forces. Where good ideas go to die.

 

[oldpinepoint]

That's the question/point others here have made. There was a deadline a couple weeks ago for the state money request. That has passed. So unless we think, or have been given some assurances, that the same money will be there next year, what's the point of all this? Unless they have another sugar daddy that is going to replace the state and their $200m gift.

Better hope the market keeps going up to take care of those pension liabilities.

 

[Noexcuse]

That's the question/point others here have made. There was a deadline a couple weeks ago for the state money request. That has passed. So unless we think, or have been given some assurances, that the same money will be there next year, what's the point of all this? Unless they have another sugar daddy that is going to replace the state and their $200m gift.

If in fact the surplus was because the reserves in the pension fund were met due to 2013 stock market performance as someone pointed out above, then most probably the money will not be there at the end of 2014.

 

[GoSU96]

How solid is this pension money story? According others it was stimulus money from the Feds.

 

[baggerbob]

That's the question/point others here have made. There was a deadline a couple weeks ago for the state money request. That has passed. So unless we think, or have been given some assurances, that the same money will be there next year, what's the point of all this? Unless they have another sugar daddy that is going to replace the state and their $200m gift.

That is why no-one wants to build in the city, too many people who have agenda's that have to be resolved, before you can even get to talking about something being done.

 

[IthacaMatt]

One banker, one realtor, an architect and a million pols and community activists.

No expert in project financing, no contractor, no one representing the skilled trades.

Bunch of bunk.

Big guy from M&T Bank - you missed him. Naples has been one of the biggest sponsors of the new business competition every year.

CenterState CEO has been doing very well getting economic development projects going under R0b Simpson.

But otherwise, yes, this is a big collection of people who don't do anything substantive. Having all the pols on the committee might seem "smart", but the money was already there for a project, and Minor screwed it up - although the Kennedy Square location is just a disaster in my opinion. Ought to be the Inner Harbor, or don't do it.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Mr Doucette's expertise will be the mixed use surrounding the proposed stadium. IMO the stadium part is the easiest, it's the surrounding development which will be more difficult

I think it's better to use COR's interest in the Inner Harbor to have them do the surrounding mixed-use stuff to connect the stadium to Franklin Square and the mall.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Just a quick question...Why appoint a gigantic task force now? The money is no longer available for the project but $100 million dollars went to Solvay. I bet their mayor said yes to the proposed project when asked.

Also, the $30 mil for the lakeside amphitheater, did they assign a task force for that? Was there plans already in place and deals worked out beforehand, nope. Just give us the $$$ and we will build a nice place on the water.

Mayer Miner is a joke.

She's trying to make up for her massive fail in blowing half a billion dollars for a new stadium. Too late, honey.

 

[BomberOrange]

I think $30 million for an amphitheater is pissing money away. How many months a year can you use that? And they're already trying to downplay any negative effects it'll have on the fairgrounds concert venues.

The same amount of months that Darien Lake, Finger Lakes, and SPAC use theirs (not to mention Star Lake in Pittsburgh, Jones Beach on LI, The one near Boston or any other one up north). Yet they get all the big concerts that are on tour. I am pretty excited about this idea and its a long time coming.

 

[TexanMark]

The same amount of months that Darien Lake, Finger Lakes, and SPAC use theirs (not to mention Star Lake in Pittsburgh, Jones Beach on LI, The one near Boston or any other one up north). Yet they get all the big concerts that are on tour. I am pretty excited about this idea and its a long time coming.

I'm happy for this but it is killing me that the cost could be Syracuse Athletics as the ship might have sailed.

 

[retro44]

How solid is this pension money story? According others it was stimulus money from the Feds.

I had heard we made 9 million on 40 million just a few days ago.

they was huge considering what Madoff did to us.

 

[supp]

How solid is this pension money story? According others it was stimulus money from the Feds.

It's borrowed cash. If it's from the same pile that's going to Buffalo (which was the implication in the last P-S article), then it's money the state is borrowing for development projects. Bonds will be issued and added to the state and county's outstanding debt. That's why all this talk about "take it or lose it" is insanity. Not taking it means less debt.

 

[cpatrocks]

Just a quick question...Why appoint a gigantic task force now? The money is no longer available for the project but $100 million dollars went to Solvay. I bet their mayor said yes to the proposed project when asked.

Also, the $30 mil for the lakeside amphitheater, did they assign a task force for that? Was there plans already in place and deals worked out beforehand, nope. Just give us the $$$ and we will build a nice place on the water.

Mayer Miner is a joke.

I still think this is happening. No one would have agreed to join the Task Force if this thing was dead. This is more about posturing and public appearance than anything. The deal is already structure, just working out some details.

 

[supp]

Committees and task forces. Where good ideas go to die.

If it's it's such a good idea, why do we need an $400 million infusion from the state/county to make it work? We're supposed to all be weaning off the gov't teat, no? Where's the private sector savior? Doesn't even have to be local. Heck, an Australian company now owns half the lanes on I-495 in VA.

 

[CuseOnly]

I still think this is happening. No one would have agreed to join the Task Force if this thing was dead. This is more about posturing and public appearance than anything. The deal is already structure, just working out some details.

If the deal was already structured and it was just working out some details she should have said yes. The deal is dead and the money is gone according to Kathleen Joy.

 

[CousCuse]

This deal is dead and so is Minor's political career.

 

[Orangeyes]

Mayor Miner's opposition to SU stadium plan prompts councilor to reject city IT system upgrade

 

[KellySyracuse]

It seems to me that Kathleen Joy is posturing for a higher position in the political scene. The argument she's making against technology improvements seems really stupid to me, the stadium ship has sailed at least for this year.

 

[CuseOnly]

It seems to me that Kathleen Joy is posturing for a higher position in the political scene. The argument she's making against technology improvements seems really stupid to me, the stadium ship has sailed at least for this year.

I am now a fan of Kathleen Joy... A month ago I had no idea she existed

 

[CuseOnly]

So let me see if I have this straight...

1 No Stadium money for Syracuse
2 No Infrastructure money for Syracuse
3 No IT money for Syracuse

This Mayor is on a roll, what can she possibly screw up next...by my count so far she has lost the city $500 mil + 16 mil + 5 mil = $521 million dollars for the economy. How many jobs is that? How much in lost taxes collected? How much in efficiency savings?

Glad to see she is looking out for our best interests.

Wow..just Wow.

 

[Cusejuicy]

the city, the Mayor. SU has the land and can get the money to do it without all the political BS. if we need a new facility, we should proceed without all the self serving idiots. This is a circus.

 

[Crusty]

This is going to get done one way or another. Next year is another whack at the piñata. These things do not go away just because of a municipal political hack.

 

[CuseOnly]

This is going to get done one way or another. Next year is another whack at the piñata. These things do not go away just because of a municipal political hack.

And you are aware that Miner is still in office next year and for 2 more after that. It will not get done while she is in office, I don't think the powers that be will want her claiming credit for a stadium project after this.