Greg Fischer says he’s going to focus on the end user of government. Can we really believe that, based on his campaign activity the past several months? [WAVE3]
Speaking of Fischer, did anyone catch that mayoral debate? Greg conveniently stopped talking about his faux Inc. Magazine award. [Deep Thoughts]
This morning at 10:00 A.M., Governor Steve Beshear will appear with the developers of Museum Plaza in Louisville to make a positive announcement. I hear MP is on a great financing path. You’ll hear more then. [Press Release & Sources]
Apparently Louisville ranks in the middle of a competitive city report. [WHAS11]
Sorry, but rumors didn’t start circulating about Museum Plaza minutes after a press release. The developers of the project started calling and emailing people to tease them. I support the project and want to see it built – badly – but let’s not act like there’s any more buzz than there really is. [Broken Sidewalk]
The Associated Press Stenography Service wrote another story about Rand Paul’s bailout balling last night. [A Kentucky Newspaper]
Kentucky Refugee Ministries is a pretty cool organization. And you should read about it. [LEO Weekly]
Just a reminder that the silly Kentucky Youth Advocates event being held tomorrow is a waste of your time. [Page One]
And don’t forget that Greg Fischer is still preaching one thing on the transparency front while doing another. I.E., he likes transparency but goes out of his way to hide his campaign finance information. [The 'Ville Voice]
5 responses so far ↓
1 Blowin' in the wind // Jun 25, 2010 at 8:45 am
Jake, you might want to check with Kris Kimel on where Louisville (and Lexington) stand on income levels with similar cities–we are dead bottom from being mid and close to top. We won’t attract highly educated professionals with that record.
2 what? // Jun 25, 2010 at 10:04 am
So downtown Louisville now has 6 new hotels planned!!! I would be surprised if 1 gets financed in this economy, not counting downtown’s 56% occupancy.
This is all smoke and mirrors folks…
3 Mark H (Not Hebert) // Jun 25, 2010 at 11:01 am
So now Museum Plaza is going to be funded by a HUD loan? Has it gotten to the point that no development can be completed downtown without the taxpayers partially footing the bill?
So basically, the situation is that private capital is not willing to risk their money to develop the center, but it’s okay for the government to risk it. And please don’t give me the argument that banks aren’t lending, they have a ton of cash right now, they just aren’t going to lend on a project that isn’t financially viable.
I have a hard time believing that this kind of project is what the HUD loan program was intended.
So note to developers, get out your wish list, your campaign cash, and your lobbyist’s telephone number, because that’s how development is done these days.
4 geoffreu pallazzo // Jun 25, 2010 at 11:34 am
Build it and they will come….quit being a bunch of haters!
5 Mark H (Not Hebert) // Jun 25, 2010 at 11:57 am
Geoff, I’m not a hater. I’m all for building it and they will come, just don’t build it with taxpayer money if the private equity sector doesn’t believe they will come.
I think the government should only get involved with projects that would not be economically viable because of infrastructure costs which would make it nonviable. For example, the LG&E site would never have been developed by private industry because the costs associated with relocating the substation, and flood wall, would be cost prohibitive.
Likewise, the government has already agreed to bond similar infrastructure improvements to make the Museum Plaza site viable for development. Now they are looking for $100M to build the building as well.
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