Some have been wondering why the “Build the Block” campaign is able to put banners on the light poles around the city and who pays to put them up and take them down. I asked Interim City Manager Henry Holling about that issue and received this response:
Good day Mr. Summers. Thanks for your inquiry on City banners and the current display of “Build the Block”. The current banner display was paid for by Lakeview Museum, a principal partner in “Build the Block” and includes labor by City sign crews to post and remove; the sponsoring organization pays for all materials, design and artwork. City banner policy is that only requests from community-based non-profit, non-partisan, non-discriminatory, community-service organizations will be considered on a first come/first served basis. There is typically a wait of 90 to 120 days to get in the present queue. “Build the Block” was kicked off last June as the tagline for the huge Caterpillar Visitor Center/Museum $135 million project. Among others, the City of Peoria is a partner in the project as mentioned in the Mayor’s State of the City address. “Build the Block” was initiated way before the approval by the County Board of a referendum April 7, 2009. In fact, “Build the Block” banners were posted downtown last June, 2008 as part of the educational and communication initiative tied to the event of a massive positive development at the riverfront. Appreciate your interest in this spectacular project for Peoria.
Henry
What’s going on here? you ask. Well, it’s a combination of legal requirements and clever marketing.
You see, Lakeview and the rest of the Museum Collaboration Group cannot advocate for or against a political issue or candidate because they’re a not-for-profit organization. But they can do anything else, such as educate the public on their museum plans and solicit private donations and public subsidies. The “Build the Block” banners fall under that category. They’re put up by Lakeview, the not-for-profit organization, and they say nothing about the referendum.
All the signs and mailings that say explicitly to “vote yes” on the public facilities sales tax referendum are produced by a legally separate organization called “Friends of Build the Block.” This is a political advocacy group. If you look at the small print on these signs and postcards, you’ll see it says “Paid for by Friends of Build the Block.”
Here’s where the clever marketing comes in. Both organizations use the same graphic elements in their materials. They both use the “Build the Block” logo, the same fonts, the same kind of layout and design. So in the minds of residents and voters, the legal division between the two groups is transparent — that is, the average voter sees no difference between them. It all looks like one organization.
So, when Joe Citizen sees a banner hanging on a city light pole, his mind associates “Build the Block” with the “vote yes” literature he’s received in the mail. Ta-dah! All of the museum group’s advertising is effective in advocating for the referendum even though some of it doesn’t explicitly say so. To get a festive attribute get a banner for thanksgiving and enjoy the coming holiday.
and i’ve still yet to find anything on the ‘peroia riverfront museum group,’ the ‘museum collaboration group,’ or ‘friends of build the block’ or any other name as any type of legal entity. i’m guessing it is an unincorporated association or the like.
Dr. Thompson, the Friends of the build the block campaign are registered with the State. You can see who the principle donors are to the organization at a state website. I don’t have the link handy but I have viewed it.
No private citizens or organizations, not otherwise associated with the project, were on the list of donors.
Head to http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeSearch.aspx and search for “block” to see just how few people are donating to the registered political committee. The whole thing is sketchy, walking right up to the line of two issues, non profits campaigning and campaigns not disclosing.
mahkno-
more info please. what type of entity is ‘friends of build the block?’
CJ, innocent question here. Could the anti-museum group have applied to go into the “cue” for banners on the lightpoles had you planned it soon enough?
“City banner policy is that only requests from community-based non-profit, non-partisan, non-discriminatory, community-service organizations will be considered on a first come/first served basis.” So no, Citizens for Responsible Spending could not apply to be on a light poles. That is the point, the banners are supposed to be non partisan.
Just an FYI,; The ‘Build the Block’ people were out putting pamphlets in doors and mailboxes today.
and what about those pesky bumper sticker magnets on cars? I think somewhere in the DOT rules they are against the law.
and all those signs must violate some law somewhere.
How dare them try and promote their cause.
Mahkno: In doors would be okay. In mailboxes is not okay. Years ago there was an issue about neighborhood associations putting information inside a mailbox which violated a postal law.
Diane: CFRS is not anti-museum. CFRS is not for this museum plan and not for this funding mechanism. Thanks for your help.
Got my Built The Block FAQ hand delivered to my mailbox today.
My question is how long can they stay up? Is there a rental fee per day they are displayed? Is there a timeline how long display stay up? I am waiting for the “Its Better Here” banners.
Karries – I apologize for my semantics.
Yes they are anti-museum and development. Read their posts.
This is the one and only chance for this to happen.
You either go with the plan in front of us or there will never be a museum on that block and that’s a fact!
Is the plan perfect, no but you can kiss those millions already raised and pledged gone for good. You think you will find a private developer come along and spend over 100 million on that block in the near future you are wrong again.
If this gets voted down that block will sit for many more years and you will see zero growth on the riverfront and downtown for that matter.
I early voted today. Yes to the Block and to Cental Illinois.
… or choice of words
No one but a U. S. Postal Service employee on duty or the customer at that address can legally place into or take out any item from a mailbox. Doing so is a violation of Federal law. Call your Postmaster or contact a Postal Inspector if anyone has violated this law.
Peoria fan – my sentiments exactly!
I am not anti-development. I am Pro Heart of Peoria plan. I bought into the Heart of Peoria plan. 5 years ago, as a new resident, I was excited about Peoria and its future. I wanted to be a part of it. I ate up those beautiful street scape renderings, waited patiently for the city to get started implementing the agreed upon form districts and started looking at homes in the Heart area. Over the past 5 years I have watched that plan be ignored and in a lot of cases plainly violated. Local politicians only reference it when it suits their needs, and most of the time they bend it into something it is not. For me, the Heart of Peoria plan was a blue print for a successful Peoria. This museum, as planned, is the anti thesis of that blue print, and that is what I will not support.
Hey BeanCounter- please join us here in the real world! I am all for new urbanism but you have to face reality sometimes. What you want and what is practical and realistic are two different things sometimes.
If you think by voting down the Block somebody it just going to come along and propose a 100 million dollar project that fits your Heart of Peoria ideas you are going to be disappointed.
I too was excited when I saw those plans 5 years ago but that is all they were at that time was someone’s dream of the ideal project.
Even though this project may not be perfect it is a hell of a lot better than the alternative which is NOTHING!
That is exactly what we will get is NOTHING for several more years in that two block area. The business’s on the riverfront and all the cities investment on the riverfront over the last 15 years are at risk.
Those so upset that someone put something into the mailbox – lighten up. I’d much prefer they place it there, then stick in on my door where it will blow away. I bought the mailbox, installed the mailbox, and have no problem with anyone putting something into it. My homeowners association places the newsletter in the mailbox every quarter and no one cares.
Hell, half the time I get my neighbors mail – so did the post office delivery person commit a federal offense by giving me someone else’s mail and them mine????
Lighten up. If you don’t like the museum…that’s fine. But you’re straining to make a federal case out of nothing.
I have a question for Karrie E. Alms. Since you and your group are working so hard to rid the Peoria area of 100 million dollar investment how to you propose making up that investment in our community?
You have over $80 million in PRIVATE dollars ready to be invested in our community and you are saying we don’t want it.
Please explain to me how you propose keeping those construction jobs and those dollars in our community?
I voted yes today in early voting. I am constrution union member and with things being so slow right now we could sure use some jobs.
This seems like a good investment, I mean what is it, only .01 cent of a $5 dollar purchase. Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.
Peoria fan,
I understand your statement that a more urban museum design may be, unfortunately, unrealistic, given the leadership in this community, but what exactly about such a concept is impractical? Why do so many people in this area find thoughtful urban planning and renewal to be such a far out and/or unimportant concept? Would people prefer to see Peoria rot from the inside out while they continue to flee to the ever expanding outskirts of town to live a car dependent, cookie cutter subdivision lifestyle? Sadly, it certainly appears that way.
Sorry, I digress. Like many others, while I generally like the idea of a new museum, one of the things that bothers me the most about this project is in fact the design. Sadly, some people seem to think that this sort of suburban “futuristic” design is cool and cutting edge. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“Hey BeanCounter- please join us here in the real world.” I thought the tag line of this thing is “Dream Big.” If we are dreaming big it should be guided by the Heart of Peoria Plan. I would be very careful bringing the real world into this. In the real world the state is over 11 billion dollars in debt and is going to raise your income taxes, the city’s sewer system needs a 100+ million dollar upgrade it doesn’t take a genius to see how that is going to end, higher property taxes. This whole project is so divorced from reality. If you want me to look at it from a real world view, my response is “it costs too damn much.”
Peoria Fan:
“or there will never be a museum on that block and that’s a fact!”
Is that a promise? Or is it more hyperbole?
What I want to know is who owns that parcel right now?
Who owns the wall around it?
Who allowed the signs to be painted on it at whose cost?
Peoria fan,
Since you seem to be RECEIVING your fair share of whoop-ass, I’ll not start up. At least you have the sand to comment on Chronicle. Sure, most people post against the current museum plan, but it is nice to hear from the other side.
I am still VOTING NO. I have heard and seen much better museum plans developed in the past. Hells-Bells! The money the PRM raised so far would be enough to tear down and rebuild a bigger/better Lakeview…right where she stands now. No need to waste a nice chuck of property that could pull in some REAL revenue for the city.
Holling admitting Peoria is a “partner” in this fiasco reminds me just how ridiculous our city govt really is. This is crooked-crap and everyone knows it. IF this thing gets built, at least in a year or two, when they want to raise taxes AGAIN, we can all say “TOLD YOU SO!”
A few Union Construction jobs?!? Are you kidding me?!? I know a couple THOUSAND CAT workers who would LOVE to tell you where you can stick your construction jobs. Especially when YOUR paychecks will be coming from CAT & Company……
How anyone can see this museum as an INVESTMENT is ridiculous. Isn’t an investment supposed to give ‘you’ a return on your money? How will this $136 million dollar [and counting] project EVER give Peoria a return? The ONLY people who stand to benefit from this are a few construction workers, and even fewer construction company owners! Oh, lets not forget the Lakeview people [all 12 of them]. They will all move into nice new cozy offices…………
Don’t forget! This is a COUNTY-WIDE vote. I doubt anyone OUTSIDE of Peoria City-Limits sees this museum as anything more than just ANOTHER tax.
VOTE NO TO WASTEFUL SPENDING!
The City of Peoria calls the shots when it comes to the Sears Block property, NOT the PRM Group [at least I think so].
The Museum Group has been holding up any other development on that block for years! Now people like PEORIAFAN and PEORIAPROUD, who think that block can’t be used for anything else, are going to bring a world of hurt down on every tax payer in PEORIA COUNTY!
Free up the Sears Block and get a city/county govt. that knows how to create some real economic stimulus.
IT’S BETTER……..somewhere else. Maybe Dubuque?
I feel better now.
jack:
CFRS is not working hard to rid our community of $100M investment.
CFRS is working hard to educate voters and let them have a choice.
CFRS is working hard to build a better block. A better block will most likely result in MORE construction jobs.
CFRS is willing to work on letting the citizens and taxpayers decide what should be on the block after all it is their city and county and their money.
CFRS is all for letting the voters decide.
Voters will decide if they want to fund this project will be approved, not Karrie E. Alms. I have only one vote.
As for the $80M funding — that is the decision of the funders. If they want to withdraw their pledges that is an individual funder choice. These funders could just as easily say, okay the people do not like this plan. Let’s work together and come up with a better plan. Let’s work together to make it happen. It is all a matter of how one makes choices in life.
* If the block as planned is so great, where is the money to build it?
* Why would the museum group who has been working on this project since 2003/2004 have to keep downsizing the project, removing the ‘sizzle’ elements and the cost keep going up if it was such a great plan?
* Why would the project still be short of $11M in private funding?
* Why would private donors still be waiting in the wings to decide to put in private funding contingent on voter approval of the referendum?
* What would happen if the voters approve the referendum and the $11M in private funding does not materialize? What happens then?
* Why would the museum group now be looking to close the $11M PRIVATE funding gap by talking with state and federal legislators to get more PUBLIC money?
Perhaps this project as planned and redesigned does not ‘sing to the hearts of the people”? If it did sing, then the project would have already been built.
Many citizens have expressed that they do not want Lakeview moved and to make the block into a park. After all, it is the citizens’ property.
**************
What else can be planned for the block when the museum group has had the block under contract since 2003/2004? When you read the documents, you will find that the musuem group has missed goals and deadlines and is up to their third amendment (extension). Who caused those delays? Somewhere on the museum side, not Karrie E. Alms nor CFRS.
The museum group has no Plan ‘B’. CFRS’ Plan ‘B’ is to let the taxpayers collectively decide Plan ‘B’ by actually including the stakeholders of the City and/or County of Peoria.
Peoria County voters are ‘supposedly’ the funding choice of last resort. How did the taxpayers get that opportunity? Because Peoria County Board Members would not approve a 7 cent property tax rate increase to fund $24M when the museum group asked for it. Now the pricetag is $40M which would a 14 cent property tax rate increase.
Interesting that a ‘tiny’ sales tax which is estimated at $17 per person per year for 20 years equates to a 14 cent property tax rate increase for a non-core service.
hat do you think would happen to Peoria County Board Members if they voted for that type of rate increase? At the least, possibly not get re-elected.
So, the legislation was changed as lobbied by the musuem group and the labor unions for a public facility purposes sales tax increase. A smorgasbord of items for taxpayers to fork over some more of their hard earned dollars for a want vs. a need.
More debt — who cares some chime in — after all the feds and states are going bust what does it matter if the city and county decide to follow in a similar manner? (Please not that the county has done a great job in being fiscally prudent prior to possibly joining as a museum parnter.) It matters to a lot of taxpayers — they want to pass on a debt free legacy to their posterity.
As for background information … you and other taxpayers may find the results of the Peoria County Citizens survey and the accompanying minutes to be of interest.
http://www.peoriacounty.org/countyBoard/survey/
During the first quarter of 2008, Peoria County conducted its first National Citizen Survey. We elected to administer the survey to gauge citizen opinion of the quality of life and the quality of services in Peoria County. One of the County Board’s strategic goals is to partner with our citizens for success. The survey helps us achieve this goal by enabling us to better understand citizens’ perceptions and desires for the community. The survey was sent to 3000 randomly selected households within the county.
Peoria County intends to use the results of the survey not only as a benchmark against which to measure our progress in the future, but also as a tool to further align our Strategic Plan and annual work plans with initiatives of importance to the citizens we serve. Peoria County is determined to administer this survey annually as a tool of performance measurement and, more importantly, to help identify service areas in need of improvement.
There are four different result links — makes for some interesting reading.
http://www.peoriacounty.org/county/files/get/Citizen%20Survey/Results2008.pdf
page 45 of 66 is Question 16a: Policy Question 1 —
The Peoria Riverfront Museum project – with a focus on education, history, arts, and sciences – has fallen short of its public and private fundraising goals. To what degree
would you support or oppose a voter referendum to increase the sales tax rate by .25 percent (for example, from 8.0% to 8.25% for the City of Peoria) to fund the
remaining cost of constructing the museum?
Strongly support — 11% Somewhat support — 24%
Somewhat oppose — 20% Strongly oppose — 45%
S U M M A R Y R E P O R T – pages 1 and 3 of 5
DATE: April 14, 2008
TO: County Board
FROM: Jenny Zinkel, Director of Strategic Communications
Policy questions
Riverfront Museum (page 31): 65% somewhat oppose or strongly oppose a sales tax increase
Minutes – MANAGEMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE – April 22, 2008 – page 2 of 4
Ms. Zinkel discussed the results of “The National Citizen Survey” conducted by the
“National Research Center, Inc. The descriptions embodying the results of the survey
are as follows:
• Number of people receiving survey: 2846
• Number of responses: 905
• Percentage of response: 32%, average is 25 – 42%
• Level of confidence: 95%, no greater than plus or minus 3 percentage points
around any given percent reported
• Survey results were weighted to reflect demographic profile of all residents in
Peoria County.
Committee members and Staff briefly discussed the results of the survey. Ms. Zinkel
said that Mr. Urich has made it very clear that it is “not” an option for the County to
disregard the results of the survey.
********************************
So much for the County not disregarding ore ‘regarding’ the results of the survey. After all, a promise had been made to look for regional funding for the museum project for the museum group and the labor unions.
So much for partnering with our citizens for success. So much for regarding responses to the open ended questions and the top desires of citizens.
Even though taxpayers in Feb 2008 participated and gave their opinions and they were disregarded. Peoria County administration continued to advocate for legislation in Springfield. The public facility purposes legislation was introduced in July 2008. There was plenty of time to honor and regard the taxpayers’ voices in the five month period — didn’t happen. Did anyone read the responses regarding a museum at the riverfront? http://www.peoriacounty.org/county/files/get/Citizen%20Survey/Questions2008.pdf
What is wrong with this picture?
Taxpayers are fed up. Taxpayers want to be educated on both sides of an issue to be able to make an informed choice. CFRS asks that taxpayers vote NO, nevertheless let the taxpayers decide on April 7.
kcdad, your questions are quite easy to answer as follows:
The City of Peoria still owns the entire site, therefore, the city of Peoria owns the fence around the entire site. The Museum Group requested and received approval twice from the Peoria City Council to paint the fence at the expense of the Museum Group. Once for the original paint scheme when the fence was initially installed and then again in 2008, when the fence was repainted with the current “Build the Block” decorations, agian at the expense of the Museum group.
In regard to the light pole banners, I suspect the “Build the Block” banners would have been removed long ago if there were other banners from some other qualified organization which were waiting to be installed.
Whole Truth LLC: Do you know who installed the fence and the cost to accomplish that task?
Karrie,
Love you, but…………………
I believe I am the one who mentioned that:
“The Museum Group has been holding up any other development on that block for years!”
Please see New Voice post: 28 March 2009.
Geez. Is everyone trying to steal my thunder?
Anyway, your reference to the Peoria County Survey is very interesting. I am still with you on this.
“The museum group has no Plan ‘B’. CFRS’ Plan ‘B’ is to let the taxpayers collectively decide Plan ‘B’ by actually including the stakeholders of the City and/or County of Peoria.”
So Karrie does that mean that CFRS also has a plan to utilize taxpayer dollars for some kind of development on the block? That would seem to be what your statement implies. If so how is that any different than what the museum group is doing? It would seem that if you are really going to hold up the ideals that the CFRS is touting in opposition to the museum than the property should be left to private developers and NOT to taxing bodies. Any development by the City or County of Peoria (or “stakeholders) is going to involve tax dollars to some extent.
11Bravo:
The museum group decided their plan and changed their plan and changed their plan and their plan became more expensive and controlled the block for the development since 2003/2004. Please review links and information below.
http://www.friendsofbuildtheblock.org/wp-content/themes/zindi/pdf/communityinvolvement.pdf
Peoria Riverfront Museum: Community Involvement
November 2000: To begin the planning process, the MCG selects the nationally known museum consulting firm of White Oak Associates, Inc. (WOA) to guide the process for the proposed new museum. Representatives come to Peoria to gather extensive market data and regional planning documents, and conduct interviews with 35 to 40 members of the community for a Community Needs Assessment. The Community Needs Assessment is released Jan. 31, 2001.
The MCG did a Community Needs Assessment with 35-40 members of the community. Wonder who was in that group? Wonder if the composition was anything like the 905 Peoria County respondents in Feb 2008 of which 65% or 589 (20% somewhat opposed and 45% strongly opposed) to a referendum to raise the sales tax to fund the museum as previously posted above.
The opportunity to vote is provided by lobbying of the museum group and the unions, the ignoring the Peoria County National Citizen Survey results and changing the legislation to ‘legally’ expand governmental services via the smorgasbord tax.
your wrote — “ideals that the CFRS is touting in opposition to the museum”
Citizens for Responsible Spending is a group of concerned taxpayers whose mission is to advocate for responsible spending of our tax dollars by our local government for essential services.
We are not opposed to a museum per se, but are opposed to this design and the public funding mechanism proposed to help finance it.
CFRS is advocating for the taxpayers ie: all the taxpayers decide what the project would be upfront and what level of $ committed if any. Up for the adventure of that type of open, transparent and inclusive public process?
CFRS is about letting the taxpayers decide. At present, the option is to vote up or down the proposed public facility purposes ‘smorgasbord’ sales tax increase? If defeat occurs, then the taxpayers have a new road to travel.
If the citizens want to make it a park or make it for public or private development then let them decide upfront. The museum group by their own documentation took 35-40 members of the community to decide for the community.
It would seem that special interests do not like nor embrace the concept of government of the people, by the people and for the people.
New Voice — thank you for your support. Yes you have mentioned it and a lot of other people too. Thank you for leading out on that circuit. No intention of not giving credit to you. My apologies. Staying focused on getting out the NO vote.
I think your summary of the MCG’s beliefs is completely wrong.
You said:
“It would seem that special interests do not like nor embrace the concept of government of the people, by the people and for the people.”
The entire problem stems from the notion that they originally thought they could do it without the government and later discovered they were wrong. Now as a result of those mistakes the people DO have a chance to make the decision.
Now I am the first to admit that the MCG has made many mistakes along the way. But to somehow conclude that a binding referendum on the April ballot is not giving the voters an opportunity to make the decision on the museum for themselves is delusional. Whichever side of this argument wins has proven that the majority of Peoria County citizens sided with them and government of the people prevailed. You are being too presumptuous to state otherwise prior to the vote.
I recently went to the Build the Block website and viewed the “See the Block” animated feature. In order for “The Block” to be exciting and active, i think there needs to be more going on… more density at the edge of the site. Presently it looks as though everything is too far spread out. How about some condos? Why didn’t they consider this?
“jack” says:
Nice spin. No one is stopping anyone from investing 80 million private dollars in the community. We’re just against spending $40 million in additional public funding on a private project that is too expensive, inefficient, and unsustainable. That’s just good fiscal policy.
I would propose that the private donors spend their $80 million on expanding Lakeview right where it is. Then use our tax money on basic services. Building/repairing roads, sewers, schools, etc., employs construction workers, too.
11Bravo says:
That’s not accurate. They always planned on using government money. They had planned to get more federal and state money which obviously didn’t materialize. So now they’re trying to get more local tax money to make up the difference.
The most obvious solution that they seem unwilling to consider is to reduce the cost of the project.
The only thing stupider than this boondoggle if they were to built one of those stupid geodesic domes …. oh, wait.
“The most obvious solution that they seem unwilling to consider is to reduce the cost of the project.”
Or incorporate more revenue generating features like retail, residential… etc… but of course they would have to redesign the layout because the building they had drawn up is totally unsuitable for anything additional like that. If they had stuck with New Urbanist design principles as originally called for this would be less of a problem.
Karrie,
I was just giving you a little ‘tug’. The work you have been doing with CFRS has been phenomenal. Maybe…………………Karrie E. Alms for City Council……..?
I go with CATMAN on this. I would love to see the riverfront develop into a Navy Pier, so to speak. Tasteful shops, maybe a small permanent stage, a little green area, a few condos, etc. There is a great deal of space on the riverfront that could be developed into something worthwhile.
I agree with C.J., Lakeview could easily expand. I also argue that an existing building downtown could easily be converted into an excellent [history] museum.
“I go with CATMAN on this. I would love to see the riverfront develop into a Navy Pier, so to speak. Tasteful shops, maybe a small permanent stage, a little green area, a few condos, etc. There is a great deal of space on the riverfront that could be developed into something worthwhile. ”
Green space- now which is, do you want new urbanism or suburban?
We have a permanent stage on the riverfront, its called CEFCU Center Stage.
I guess you have not been to Navy Pier. How is a McDonalds and trinket shops tasteful?
As far as I know there is no green space on Navy Pier and no condos. It is a tourist attraction kind of like a theme park. Nothing wrong with that but is that what people want for our riverfront?
‘I was just giving you a little ‘tug’. The work you have been doing with CFRS has been phenomenal. Maybe…………………Karrie E. Alms for City Council……..? ”
yes just phenomenal if you are looking for someone to stop $80 million in private donations from being spent in our city.
East Peoria will be looking for some big projects to fill their new downtown soon.
Maybe Alms and the anti-museum group are really working for East Peoria and Tazwell County. Didn’t I hear them protest the gambling boat a few years back?
Karl,
Don’t be an idiot.
– “I would love to see the riverfront develop into a Navy Pier, so to speak.” This does not mean it has to be exactly like Navy Pier. I was born and raised in Oak Park, and YOU are going to tell us about Navy Pier? There is plenty of space along the riverfront to develop. Read the ENTIRE post next time.
– I believe Karrie and C.J. answered your question about the so called $80 million investment in our city. READ the posts.
– CEFCU Center Stage is essentially crap and you know it.
– As far as I know [and I know], there aren’t any plans for McDonalds or trinket shops downtown.
– With the possible exception of yourself, East Peoria is not stupid enough to spend that kind of money on a project that will have ZERO return!
– THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO TURNED DOWN THE RIVERBOAT WERE PROBABLY FRIENDS OF YOURS; JIM MALOOF, ETC. LETS NOT FORGET THE TROUBLE HOOTERS HAD GETTING DOWNTOWN! LETS SEE….WHICH GOOFY PEORIA MAYOR TRIED TO PREVENT HOOTERS FROM EVEN SETTING UP SHOP IN PEORIA? ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY BEHIND THE MUSEUM PROJECT. What TREMENDOUS business acumen!
– The real question is; how many of our former mayors are working for Tazewell/Woodford Counties?
Karl……this group is not “anti-museum”, it’s anti- this museum.
But I guess if you keep repeating something over and over, evenually you see it as true.
And if people are willing to pony up “80 million in private donations”, shouldn’t it be the best possible plan? Not what a certain few in this community have deemed as the best plan?
MAZR, you were much nicer about it.
I still cannot believe that $80 million is not enough to build a museum on land that doesn’t even have to be purchased? You have $80 million – build a museum with what you have, not what you want. If it works out as well as you think it will, then…. Expand It! Duh.
Our family moved here not too long ago and from an outsider’s view, the City of Peoria and those who feel they are “in the know” are clueless. I’ll take my kids to the Peoria Playhouse once it’s built, but I have a hard time believing anyone will ever view this city as a destination. If I want to take the kids to a museum, we’ll drive the 2 hours in several directions it would take to go to a REAL museum in Chicago or St. Louis. Gimme a break. Outsiders drive around that city wondering why they can’t fix the roads and work to ease the tensions among the haves and have nots. You know the old saying, those with influence, power and prestige live in Chicago. Those that wish they had it live in Peoria.