State Budget Committee OKs funding for Hulman Center project

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If they can pull it off that sounds good to me... 50 million would go a long way in the HC...Something is fishy here though....As i stated earlier and is in the article local gov. (city,county,etc) were willing to pony up 26 mil of the 75 mil to get this done....So by my math with the 37.5 mil from the state that leaves roughly 12.5 mil to cover on ISU's end....

Now in the article ISU claims they will get from 37.5 mil to 50 mil through donations,cash, and probably some debt..So by my math that is about 12.5 mil to cover on ISU's end...

The only possible things I can see going on here is the local gov. is full of shit on the 26 mil figure (don't think so, but could be possible i guess), the realtionship between ISU's board members and the city/county members was fractured to the point ISU said screw it (hope not because Gibson is a bigggg part of ISU's present and future growth), or what I think is most likely is ISU wants to have full control of the building and does not want to rent in the future to use it... In that scenario they are probably saying "if we are going to have to raise 12.5 mil to get this thing done then why would we then pay a yearly fee to use it??" They probably don't see much value in the convention center from their angle and believe more money will be going directly to the HC now by going this route.
 
If they can pull it off that sounds good to me... 50 million would go a long way in the HC...Something is fishy here though....As i stated earlier and is in the article local gov. (city,county,etc) were willing to pony up 26 mil of the 75 mil to get this done....So by my math with the 37.5 mil from the state that leaves roughly 12.5 mil to cover on ISU's end....

Now in the article ISU claims they will get from 37.5 mil to 50 mil through donations,cash, and probably some debt..So by my math that is about 12.5 mil to cover on ISU's end...

The only possible things I can see going on here is the local gov. is full of shit on the 26 mil figure (don't think so, but could be possible i guess), the realtionship between ISU's board members and the city/county members was fractured to the point ISU said screw it (hope not because Gibson is a bigggg part of ISU's present and future growth), or what I think is most likely is ISU wants to have full control of the building and does not want to rent in the future to use it... In that scenario they are probably saying "if we are going to have to raise 12.5 mil to get this thing done then why would we then pay a yearly fee to use it??" They probably don't see much value in the convention center from their angle and believe more money will be going directly to the HC now by going this route.

Does this article sound familiar? It's truly has been an interesting discussion from the beginning and although I felt pretty disappointed about some of the more personal comments -- if all of this pans out as laid out in the article, it pretty much reflects what I said from the get go. If it gets done, my guess is that most of you will be thrilled with the end product, even if it doesn't include a convention center.

Time for a chorus of Kum Ba Yah and move on in peace. $50mil will work nicely and in the end, it will get done correctly.
 
I've stated all along that the CHEMISTRY on the Board overseeing this HC project was NOT conducive to sound decisionmaking and involved PERSONAL posturing for self-gain.

Dr. Bradley had the VISION to see thru this BS and move forward, independent of the LOCAL minions.
 
Still don't see it that way but that's okay...

At the end of the day Bradley wanted control and he drew a line in the sand. It worked out the way it worked out. Pawning it off on the city & county finances the way he did was the easy way out. Everyone would bite on that story line because it's not a lie - the city and the country are struggling. However, the funds for this project had already been committed and it's my belief all parties were ready to proceed with this project - if I'm wrong about that then so-be-it.

Had Bradley just come out and said - hey look we'ere going to commit some additional University $$ to this project and we want to have control of the facility. At the end of the day I might have been more accepting to what went down. I didn't like the idea of piling on the city/county all while throwing THCVB in on it - don't believe that made for very good press for anyone involved.

If you disagree with me (and many of you apparently do) then that's just the way it goes. I'm not going to change your mind and your not going to change mine. I'm glad they are going to renovate the HC, I hate the way it played out. The chest pounding in this thread about being right is hilarious - the only thing anyone was right about is Indiana State & Bradley wanting control over the contractor/the plans and about everything else. They wanted the city/county/thcvb money but they wanted them to stay out of the way...
 
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Still don't see it that way but that's okay...

At the end of the day Bradley wanted control and he drew a line in the sand. It worked out the way it worked out. Pawning it off on the city & county finances the way he did was the easy way out. Everyone would bite on that story line because it's not a lie - the city and the country are struggling. However, the funds for this project had already been committed and it's my belief all parties were ready to proceed with this project - if I'm wrong about that then so-be-it.

Had Bradley just come out and said - hey look we'ere going to commit some additional University $$ to this project and we want to have control of the facility. At the end of the day I might have been more accepting to what went down. I didn't like the idea of piling on the city/county all while throwing THCVB in on it - don't believe that made for very good press for anyone involved.

If you disagree with me (and many of you apparently do) then that's just the way it goes. I'm not going to change your mind and your not going to change mine. I'm glad they are going to renovate the HC, I hate the way it played out. The chest pounding in this thread about being right is hilarious - the only thing anyone was right about is Indiana State & Bradley wanting control over the contractor/the plans and about everything else. They wanted the city/county/thcvb money but they wanted them to stay out of the way...

http://www.orthoactivist.org/app/document/14479063;jsessionid=10xsq26no8yaf1o2jy8546zrf8

Pretty much explains the "posturing" involved...

Hulman Center CIB.jpg

This pic actually tells the story of the CIB inner workings (or lack thereof). Note Dr. Bradley's arms...

Any idea why the University would take this attitude re: TH contractors and local politics? It's the "big fish in the lil' pond" dichotomy, and Dr. Bradley saw no need to become entangled in a "net."
 
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I still think, as mentioned before, we will see an effort to move a convention center to the riverfront as part of the riverscape project. TH says they have at least 35 million (probably 45 million) available and are still trying to find a way to get a convention center - as of yesterday. Put it on the riverfront... bundle some money making activities with the diesel fest, farm shows, concerts, tractor pulls.... removable turf that would allow 20k spectators for football and soccer indoors which creates more consistent ticket sales for fall/winter sports. Can it be done for 80 million after ISU pitches in a bit? TH controls the convention center, ISU controls the Hulman Center - the way it should be, frankly IMHO. I mean... Owensboro built their very nice convention center for 50 million. TH needs to make theirs more versatile with one large convention space (among a few smaller spaces) that can handle concerts, football, etc. Frankly, I think for 65 million, it can be done and be very nice.
 
Not in your or my lifetime. There are major administrative/govt issues at play in TH/Vigo that simply won't disappear at the wave of a wand." They've existed for multi-decades and are indigenous to stable economic progress. Going to be very difficult to bring investment $$$ into the Wabash Valley with these issues of political instability & trust.

One example is the recent selection of the I-70 area "Riverscape" for construction of a prison-sized Vigo County Jail. How does this even come close to the "vision & planning" undertaken for the Wabash River area which so many have worked hard to create? But that's what you get when you elect a 20-yr. "school bus driver" as Pres. of the Vigo County Commissioners. Get my point?

Here's a recent article surrounding up & coming political leader, Brendan Kearns, a wonderful well-balanced LEADER for the TH/Vigo future. Can you believe this "smoke filled pool room"-type politics? This is a SYSTEMIC problem which crosses generational boundaries.

http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_...cle_7ae1e4c9-d4a5-52ca-a45c-7cda6bf6ee98.html

But will the next local election displace this cronyism? Come on, take an EDUCATED guess...
 
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wow - if that's true - and it looks to be - that is a bad situation. I guess logic doesn't rule? Don't you just wish some adults could just get along for the better of the majority? Putting a prison on prime riverfront property... That is laughable and a waste of major income for the community... since the prison can obviously be moved to a different location and the small revenue generated for housing prisoners from other areas can still be obtained.



Not in your or my lifetime. There are major administrative/govt issues at play in TH/Vigo that simply won't disappear at the wave of a wand." They've existed for multi-decades and are indigenous to stable economic progress. Going to be very difficult to bring investment $$$ into the Wabash Valley with these issues of political instability & trust.

One example is the recent selection of the I-70 area "Riverscape" for construction of a prison-sized Vigo County Jail. How does this even come close to the "vision & planning" undertaken for the Wabash River area which so many have worked hard to create? But that's what you get when you elect a 20-yr. "school bus driver" as Pres. of the Vigo County Commissioners. Get my point?

Here's a recent article surrounding up & coming political leader, Brendan Kearns, a wonderful well-balanced LEADER for the TH/Vigo future. Can you believe this "smoke filled pool room"-type politics? This is a SYSTEMIC problem which crosses generational boundaries.


http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_...cle_7ae1e4c9-d4a5-52ca-a45c-7cda6bf6ee98.html

But will the next local election displace this cronyism? Come on, take an EDUCATED guess...
 

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A few things here.

I was upset and remain frustrated with how the convention center deal played out. Initially I was frustrated with Bradley and his role in not getting this project done with the funds that were committed by other parties involved. I remain convinced it had more to do with control than it did actual money. I think that is quite apparent but what has been proposed to be built instead.

After the news that came out last week about the County Council - most notably Anderson and Marvel I have to say my frustration with ISU/Bradley is much less than it initially was. The jail on the riverfront was a disaster from the start. They were forcing that jail on taxpayers and forcing only a single location - the tact they used was terrible and unprofessional.

In response to "not getting what they wanted" they decide to cut funding to Riverscape. As if they public wouldn't recognize this as clear retaliation for Riverscapes role in campaigning against the jail on that property. How pathetic can we get? Seeing how that played out I can only imagine what ISU and President Bradley were dealing with and can see why things played out publicly they way they did.

And then after all of that to find out that they (Marvel) tried to pressure Bardley into calming down the noise coming from ISU employees on the jail site. Are you kidding me? And then he tried to go after Kearns job - who was also apposed to the price of the jail and the proposed locations. Bank isn't wrong - what is playing out in Terre Haute/Vigo Co. politically right now is a mess. Very upsetting to see the rather elementary level of intelligence displayed by many of our elected officials - they are just not very smart people.
 
boy, are you guys trying to get Illinois to annex you? It's like you are in the minor leagues but performing amazing.
 
That's not necessarily something the TH Chamber of Commerce would promote. Well, we re talking about the Haute--maybe they would???

https://wthhistory.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/when-the-dillinger-gang-came-to-west-terre-haute/


http://www.tribstar.com/news/lifest...cle_cdd6aa41-5bb5-5a17-81db-dd2f74770989.html

Hideout not too far from ISU Memorial Stadium:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cvmnrobs/6992870587

My favorite TH political history story:

http://brisray.com/th/troberts1.htm

***Can you believe that the IN State Dept of Ed. threatened to MOVE Indiana Normal (ISU) because of its proximity to the "red light district." Ahh yes, TH, "A Level Above"...what a legacy.

Anyone see this re: the Chair of the ISU Aviation Dept? Geeeesh...
http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_...cle_c07a3822-7cba-5ba0-8a24-6e8b33f01b99.html
 
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Just a short note: Woz and I cornered Dan Bradley last night at the President's Fall Tour and asked him straight up about the situation with the Hulman Center and the $37.5 mil from the state for HC improvements. Although it is not a done deal, we should know if ISU can go on it's own with official approval, hopefully, on October 20th. (could be a nice Homecoming announcement although that is not Dan's thought but mine). He was cautious that nothing is a sure thing with the legislature but this decision is being made by a five-man committee. He did say they were hopeful that it would be approved and construction would begin immediately after the basketball season. We made no reference to the remaining funds but it felt to me that he had answers in the back of his mind. As I have said before, I truly felt that they knew last year that we were going on our own and that in the long run, it will be what is best for Indiana State. He also discussed some about football and where we stand there long-term as well as stadium-wise but I think we will save that for another day. Woz, any thoughts or disagreements on what I said?
 
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Just a short note: Woz and I cornered Dan Bradley last night at the President's Fall Tour and asked him straight up about the situation with the Hulman Center and the $37.5 mil from the state for HC improvements. Although it is not a done deal, we should know if ISU can go on it's own with official approval, hopefully, on October 20th. (could be a nice Homecoming announcement although that is not Dan's thought but mine). He was cautious that nothing is a sure thing with the legislature but this decision is being made by a five-man committee. He did say they were hopeful that it would be approved and construction would begin immediately after the basketball season. We made no reference to the remaining funds but it felt to me that he had answers in the back of his mind. As I have said before, I truly felt that they knew last year that we were going on our own and that in the long run, it will be what is best for Indiana State. He also discussed some about football and where we stand there long-term as well as stadium-wise but I think we will save that for another day. Woz, any thoughts or disagreements on what I said?

I have heard that we won't have many, if any non con games next year because of construction. I think they're pretty confident that something will happen.
 
Just a short note: Woz and I cornered Dan Bradley last night at the President's Fall Tour and asked him straight up about the situation with the Hulman Center and the $37.5 mil from the state for HC improvements. Although it is not a done deal, we should know if ISU can go on it's own with official approval, hopefully, on October 20th. (could be a nice Homecoming announcement although that is not Dan's thought but mine). He was cautious that nothing is a sure thing with the legislature but this decision is being made by a five-man committee. He did say they were hopeful that it would be approved and construction would begin immediately after the basketball season. We made no reference to the remaining funds but it felt to me that he had answers in the back of his mind. As I have said before, I truly felt that they knew last year that we were going on our own and that in the long run, it will be what is best for Indiana State. He also discussed some about football and where we stand there long-term as well as stadium-wise but I think we will save that for another day. Woz, any thoughts or disagreements on what I said?

Nothing to add Bally. Good recap.
 
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