I would like to know how the professor from Holy Cross came to the conclusion the DIF zone would be expanded. He seems to have no basis for making that statement.
Keep in mind we have already increased the DIF zone once. Initially do not believe some of the properties where the COVE is being built was included in the DIF.
Anonymous said…
I have read most of the Worcester Business Journal articles on the ball park and the development and simply put I have not viewed their reporting as rooting for the ball park to fail but performing what I believe to be an inherent purpose of the media, questioning our government and their actions. This function that Worcester Business Journal serves, the continued questioning of our government is ,and will continue to be, more important than if the project will loose money and the public should be more concerned with their ability to do so. Our founding fathers recognized the freedom of the press that they incorporated it into the first amendment. With that being said, we have reached an impasse with regards to the issue at hand, will the project pay for itself. The Worcester Business Journal is not unjustified posing questions as to how the project will pay for itself with the substantial cost overruns and the delays and downsizing of some of the buildings. Conversely, the City contends that with the new development that has been announced, the Cove and Table Talk, the project will not only pay for itself but return millions to taxpayers. The problem is we taxpayers have two conflicting opinions and since the City has not put forth financials in a few years one might assume that the project is under water. The only way to close this issue would be for the City to put forth a current set of financials and let not only us taxpayers but others, like the Worcester Business Journal decide.
If not for the ballpark I guarantee the Cove property would sit there vacant and falling in to disrepair for years to come. We see the Hibernian Cultural Center has been able to use game day parking revenue to renovate their property. The metal eyesore has been removed from the property with more to come. Of course, this blog will not mention that. Nope, we live in Worcester so we deserve only empty parking lots and warehouses. That’s the vision from this blog for the city, perhaps with a mildly successful airport.
Anonymous said…
I have been thinking the last couple of days about the quote from the Holy Cross professor about expanding the district. If the City has a bond payment in the amount of $3,000,000.00 and the revenues only total $1,300,000.00 I assume the City is going to make the full $3,000,000.00 bond payment, not just $1,300,000.00. That means $1,700,000.00 came from somewhere else, I assume the City budget. Isn't this expanding the district from the area the ball park is in to the entire City? Does this make sense?
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In Ed we still Trust! 😀
would be expanded. He seems to have no basis for making that statement.
With that being said, we have reached an impasse with regards to the issue at hand, will the project pay for itself. The Worcester Business Journal is not unjustified posing questions as to how the project will pay for itself with the substantial cost overruns and the delays and downsizing of some of the buildings. Conversely, the City contends that with the new development that has been announced, the Cove and Table Talk, the project will not only pay for itself but return millions to taxpayers. The problem is we taxpayers have two conflicting opinions and since the City has not put forth financials in a few years one might assume that the project is under water.
The only way to close this issue would be for the City to put forth a current set of financials and let not only us taxpayers but others, like the Worcester Business Journal decide.