Still looking...

...for answers to questions we’ve asked before. A recent report in the local daily paper reminded us of our post of a couple of weeks ago wherein we asked about the activities of the Super Bowl Host Committee - aka "Our 2012SB, Inc.."

This latest article, headed "More Pieces in Place," gives us an update - without any answers to our questions.

We learn that another indoor football field - for practice by one of the teams playing in "the game" - has been completed. It will eventually become the property of the University of Indianapolis as a facility for track and field meets. The university spent $7 million on the structure, with "...additional money contributed by the city’s Super Bowl host committee." We aren’t told how much, nor are we let in on where that organization - by whatever name - obtained the funds. Some TIF money, maybe?

We are then informed that the conversion of three blocks of Georgia Street to Boondoggle Boulevard is on schedule. We’re spending $12.5 million, about half of which is Federal transportation money, to reduce a 4-lane roadway to a 2-lane operation, to be referred to as a "pedestrian walkway." This is to offer "...better pedestrian access to Super Bowl-related venues..." (We can’t resist asking, does this kind of expenditure have any relationship to our national fiscal disaster?) Wouldn’t it have been less expensive to provide a fleet of cabs to run back and forth continuously without charge?

Then we have a program called "Super Kids-Super Sharing." Local school kids will be asked to collect books, sports equipment and school supplies to be distributed to children in need. It is said that the program has occurred in Super Bowl host cities for the past twelve years.

There is no information as to the contribution of the NFL itself. Maybe the owners will throw in a couple of bucks after they compute what has been handed to them as, for instance, tax waivers, free use of the convention center and free use of 6,000 publicly owned parking spaces for which they will make outrageous charges and from which they will retain all revenues.

Does Our2012SB really have to play Santa to these fiscal grinches?

Comments

[guy77money]

Boys and there toys! I have to agree not having the Pacers downtown will only impact parking lot owners and a few bar owners. Not much else to see here - move on.

[Vox Populi]

No one will know what 2012SB will do or what it will cost until after the fact. So far the city has not disclosed what Indy did to get SB 2012 and all we know of 2012SB are it's members and some tax filings.

It appears everything in this town is;"sensitive negotiations", "trade secrets" or "need to know only". Just another campaign promise that was broken early on, the so called transparency in government.

The only way anyone in this town finds out anything is through a disgruntled worker or an investigative reporter or to be a member of the downtown elite law firms.

[moncler outlets]

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