Convention Center lies....

[takethepowerback]

Seems that a new convention center is the heart of the new waterfront development plan. Well, a new report released by the Brookings Institute, which our politicians obviously ignore, shows that public investment rarely sees the return. Hardly shocking, like so much other economic development lies.

Not sure if any public dollars are earmarked for this convention center but I know millions have been spent studying for one downtown. In any case, great argument against convention centers in this age of technology.

Here's the link....

http://www.brook.edu/metro/pubs/2005...ioncenters.htm

Really, why do our politicians fail to keep up to date on best planning and policy practices?

[moadib]

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID putting convention center in outer harbor

The Erie County Planning Department proposed a site between Perry, Mississippi and Scott which would have given it easy access to Buffalo's Light Rail, downtown Buffalo, the Theater District, the BaseBall Stadium and the Hockey Stadium....

Putting the Convention Center on the waterfront with no light rail connection means that it wont be integrated into the city and people will have to drive there. The more people who drive, the less likely people will stay and explore the other amenities that are easily accessible.

The saddest thing is that if one looked at an old map that showed all the old canals in the inner harbor. Those canals brought Buffalos waterfront right into south Buffalo. Imagine if the convention center was built between easy access to light rail, connected to downtown and adjacent to a canal reminiscent of our culture, history and industry.

[takethepowerback]

True. I have somewhat of a transportation planning background, well at least wrote my thesis on it. The lack of connectivity the Outer Harbor site has is a major drawback. I assume they'd make it connected but only though new investments in infrastructure instead of update or resuing exisiting facilities downtown. So that site in terms of a convention center would be more costly than a downtown site based on the need for transportation infrastructure.

[moadib]

I WOULD BE VERY SUPRISED W/AN OUTER HARBOR CONVENTION CENTER

They chose that proposal because it had the largest number residential units and the largest number of boat slips (which could either be sold with the residential units as a package or separately).

Why do the boat slips matter? Because the NFTA receives money from the boat slips at the Small Boat Harbor renting them....and the NFTA will receive money from any new boat slips constructed.

They are just MAXIMIZING THEIR REVENUE and cloaking it behind a big grand proposal....to silence all those big bad meanies out there that resent the NFTA refusing to develop the 120 acres of waterfront....and want the NFTA to divest itself of the responsibility and let the private sector develop it.

The Great Lakes Museum associated with Bass Pro is a strong possibility, consisting of:
A Partnership with the Erie County Botanical Gardens for Great Lakes Flora.
A Partnership with the Buffalo Zoo for Great Lakes Fauna and maybe even including an aviary.
A Partnership with the Historical Society and Buffalo Science Museum detailing Buffalo Frontier, War of 1812, Buffalos transportation and Buffalo's Industrial history (INVENTED IN BUFFALO/MADE IN BUFFALO)
AND the Aquarium are all possibilities....

However, the Convention Center needs to be connected to the light rail. Sorry for all those unsupportive to light rail but light rail connects them to downtown, basspro, the baseball stadium, the hockey stadium, chippewa club district and the theater district.

If conventioneers get in their car, you can forget about them going anywhere. An outer harbor convention center is going to be an unconnected island.