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Thread: Preliminary plans for the Outer Harbor land site and the emerging policies of Elitism

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    Member pointblank's Avatar
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    Preliminary plans for the Outer Harbor land site and the emerging policies of Elitism

    by Pat Freeman

    The past few months the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. has held a series of public forums on the use of the long time vacant industrial Brownfield site we know as the Outer Harbor. Many of us attended four of the five meetings in which a large constituency of citizens expressed their support of the Outer Harbor Stadium Complex private investment proposal which would create 8,000-15,000 living wage jobs in Western New York with private investment financing. Read more...








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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    8000 to 15000? How so?

    How many people currently work at the convention center and the Ralph Wilson stadium year round?

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    Member Linda_D's Avatar
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    Buffalo does NOT need to develop new areas that require services, especially into a former industrial site that is a brownfield. Leave the Outer Harbor as it is, a seasonal recreation area with bike/walking paths and access to the water. That's low cost and low maintenance for the city because services to that area are minimal. If, at some point in the future, the city once again expands in population, the Outer Harbor would still be available.

    I'm NOT an advocate of a stadium in the city.
    • IMO, a new stadium should be built next to the Ralph because the land and the infrastructure is already there, including roads and parking to handle 75,000 fans with minimal traffic jams.
    • The idea of a sports stadium/convention center as an economic engine has been repeatedly proven false over the last 4 or 5 decades, even where conventions can be held year round. Buffalo is NOT a year round convention city because of climate. People need to get their heads out of their butts and realize that. Nobody is going to come to Buffalo for a convention from December through March, and furthermore, football would prevent holding conventions from September through November, so realistically, a stadium facility could be used for conventions from April through August.
    • The Outer Harbor is the absolutely least suitable site for a stadium of all the suggested ones. It has poor access: there's only Rt 5/Skyway. The cost of road infrastructure would be astronomical, and access would still be difficult because there is no access to the west at all because of the lake.
    • The best site for a stadium in the city is somewhere on the East Side, somewhat close to downtown, probably south of the Medical Corridor and possibly in the old Ellicott District. It would give impetus to redeveloping an area that is full of abandoned houses,derelict industrial/commercial buildings, and empty lots that continues to bleed residents. The transportation infrastructure -- the 198, the Kensington, the 190, the subway and the bus system -- are already there. Much of the land is already owned by the city or the county. New utility infrastructure would improve service for nearby neighborhoods while getting rid of the empty buildings would discourage some kinds of crime.
    Your right to buy a military weapon without hindrance, delay or training cannot trump Daniel Barden’s right to see his eighth birthday. -- Jim Himes

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    I agree with Linda. It will end up along the water front though. If private money is use for this project allow them to do what they want to do. If you want to change the economic climate in our community we need to eliminate the political groups that have held us back for the last 25+ years.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WNYresident View Post
    I agree with Linda. It will end up along the water front though. If private money is use for this project allow them to do what they want to do. If you want to change the economic climate in our community we need to eliminate the political groups that have held us back for the last 25+ years.
    Res, I agree 100%. But how do we go about eliminating the Democratic party?

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