I am sending out the following letter to the newspaper, every TV station, politician and person I can think of. feel free to forward it. And god I hope its accurate because its 3 am and I’m too tired to fact check.
Once again its looking like the PaeTec Park project won’t happen. Why wouldn’t the sports authority want this project to go forward? Well it seems that David Gantt, Jack Doyle and Mayor Johnson are not in favor of it. The sports authority, who have forgotten what they were actually hired to do, is made up of 3 members, two of whom are appointed by County executive Jack Doyle and one by Mayor Johnson and therefore are not only biased, but are scapegoats for Doyle and Johnson who can save their own political skins by saying nope wasn’t us, it was the sports authority who said no. That’s very shady. Not to mention the $2 million per year that was raised on the 2% “bed tax” which was implemented for the stadium that is sitting on the sports authority books.
So why do we need PaeTec Park anyway? This venue would be not only home to the Rhinos but, any local HS and college soccer teams not to mention men’s and woman’s US national team games, who wouldn’t like to see Mia Hamm here in Rochester. It could be host to any local Lacrosse teams. It would host concerts, like groups who skip Rochester due to the small venues and play Buffalo instead, as well as other entertainment events. What about football? Not just HS and college but maybe Bills exhibition games, even those who bash soccer can appreciate that, and many more possibilities.
The Rhino’s have won four Championships in six years, they consistently fill the stadium even with it’s glaring flaws, yet are receiving almost nothing from the advertising, parking, and concessions, the Red Wings get that. The MLS has stated that Rochester would have a place in the league if we had a stadium. Rochester will never have an NFL, or NHL team this is a chance for Rochester to be a big league city, probably it’s only chance, and with soccer growing, especially among kids, this could translate into millions from big business who would now associate Rochester with the big leagues. Maybe Gantt, Doyle and Johnson should be looking to this future; it might be the only legacy they will get. If they keep dragging their feet it could kill the project, the team and their political careers.
Rochester’s image across this country is non-existent there are over 1 million people in Rochester and growing, Buffalo is not that much bigger, and they are population stagnant yet they are thought of as big time. How about Green Bay? We have more people in Greece yet they have name recognition that we don’t. Rochester might be the image center of the world but Rochester’s image is small time. PaeTec Park would mean Rochester on ESPN, FOX sports, ABC, national and international newspapers and magazines, exposure to the world means money from many sources. The politicians want the fast ferry, the Art center, the zoo expansion, well it’s a simple formula people, a Major league team brings in a great deal of revenue, from tourists, from new businesses, etc. This means more jobs and economic growth.
There is no downside since it won’t touch taxpayers, it’s win-win. More money means more for city government which buys them more toys which increases quality-of-life for us which keeps them in there cushy jobs. Get out there and tell Jack Doyle, Mayor Johnson, and David Gantt that you and your children deserve a better life, not excuses. Thanks to them Rochester has become a joke around the world, and I don’t like it .Check out
www.whinossoccer.com. If you don’t believe me.
Paul Harmon
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