I’ve done an “extensive amount of research” and I can actually cite some facts and figures, and some REAL questions to ask!

1. According to both Map-Quest and Google Maps, The PAC-Cinci is about ¼ mile from an exit from I-71, and well under a mile from an exit from I-75. PAC-scam (here in Middletown) is over FIVE miles from the nearest interstate exit. Reasonable people should be able to understand why this makes a difference. This difference is overlooked EVERY TIME an example is held up of a “downtown turnaround” and it really is getting old. When I-26 eastbound ends, it dumps into downtown Charleston, yet we were expected to overlook this a few years ago when Charleston was held up as an example of an “Olde Tyme” turnaround. Stop treating us as if WE were the stupid ones.

Lack of direct access off an interstate is a darn big handicap for our former downtown. If you are too dense to understand that, go somewhere else and screw that place up.

2. The Middletown Journal article stated that PAC-Cinci is “filled with hundreds of studios accommodating some 400 artists.” City Attorney Landen stated that PAC-Cinci has about “250 artists and has a waiting list” and that some of those on the waiting list may be accommodated in Middletown. The FACT is that if one counts the “entities” on the “Artist Directory” of PAC-Cinci’s own website, only about 157 entities are listed. If one counts the “entities” on the “Artists Roster” of the PAC-Cinci website, one finds about 152. Who knows what the truth is, but one would think that City Council might ask Messrs. Landen and Robinette to explain this away before throwing our money away!  PS: Some of the "entities" are: Woman's Art Club (No jobs), and a car wash (low-paying jobs).

3. One can use both Map-Quest and Google Maps to find restaurants near PAC-Cinci, and there are no more than THREE found within ¼ mile of PAC-Cinci. One-quarter mile from 7 N. Broad St. takes one well outside the “core” downtown Middletown area, and there are already restaurants within this range.

Can we realistically expect PAC-scam to generate MORE restaurants here than the much larger PAC-Cinci (along with the rest of DOWNTOWN Cincinnati) has in TWENTY YEARS down there? Can anyone who keeps talking about the restaurants that PAC-Cinci has generated actually NAME any (other than: Nicola’s, Deli on 12^th, Vinyl, and possibly the lunch counter at the Greyhound bus station) that Google and Map-Quest might have missed within ¼ mile?

4. We keep hearing about Over-the-Rhine, and I am no expert on the exact borders of Cincinnati neighborhoods, but I don’t recall the area of PAC-Cinci as being Over-the-Rhine. Isn’t OtR actually significantly to the west-northwest? In fact, you really can’t get much farther away from OtR in eastern downtown Cincinnati without crossing I-71 into the artsy Mt. Adams area, can you? If any of you aren’t really sure where Over-the-Rhine is, I’ll be pleased to take you there and drop you off. I think that you’ll then understand the difference.

So, lets stop playing games. If council wants to give away another half million of our hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars for some reason, by all means, go right ahead and do it!! But stop with the games and acting like your trying to do what’s best when no one has even asked a reasonable question, and everything that has been said so far has been pretty much made-up gobbledy-gook BS!!

 

Let's face it, you bureaucrats, even IF we get 25 artists, how many MORE frame shops and coffee shops do you expect US to believe will be warranted???

 

And where ARE these mysterious missing exhibits and what surprises will you spring on us in two weeks with them???

 

http://www.zipmap.net/Ohio/Hamilton_County/Z_Over-The-Rhine.htm - http://www.zipmap.net/Ohio/Hamilton_County/Z_Over-The-Rhine.htm

http://www.irhine.com/index.jsp?page=home_verdin031603 - http://www.irhine.com/index.jsp?page=home_verdin031603

 

 

 

 

What has ANYONE told you that would make you want to invest YOUR OWN MONEY in this fiasco??  Whatever it might be, it has NOT been made public, so SHARE IT WITH US!!

 

However, if this screwball deal is too risky for YOU to invest YOUR OWN PERSONAL FUNDS, how DARE YOU violate the public trust and WASTE the PEOPLE'S treasure???

 

There are seven of you...some wealthy, some not.  I challenge you to fund this YOURSELVES!!!  I BEG YOU!!!

 

YOU SEVEN can HAVE the riches to be gained!!!  Raise the funds and YOU SEVEN bankroll this deal!!!  PLEASE!! I beg of you!!!  Borrow the money from the Mayor's bank!!!  Pledge YOUR honor and treasure, not that of our children's children.  Not again!  Not the same old scheme again!!  Invest YOUR own money!  Risk YOUR OWN futures.

 

Just this once, PLEASE, deal us OUT!!!