MASON CITY – The owner of Roller City, who is also a city employee, is going back to city hall to ask for taxpayer funds, as he has other times over the years, this time for $30K to downsize the skating area.
Tyler Anderson is Roller City’s owner and “Chief Fun Officer.” He is also a city employee, working in the possibly less-fun job as the manager at Elmwood Cemetery.
When Anderson is not digging graves, he working out new angles to make Roller City profitable, and one of his go-to cash infusions is via Mason City taxpayers. In his latest attempt to get mo’ money, Anderson is calling Roller City a downtown business that needs help. He is asking taxpayers for a $30,000 forgivable DoRL loan towards $75,000 in updates to the business, located at 600 2nd Street NW and in operation since 1978. The funds, which he must match, would downsize the skating area, forcing patrons to tighten their skates and turn more abruptly. Other changes include expanding seating by 100 to accommodate parties, a new arcade area and improvements to the concessions area.
In a letter to the decision-making board in city hall, Anderson says, “we are generally considered a downtown business.” He claims the funds will add jobs at Roller City but wasn’t specific. He says the concessions area would be moved and become over 4-times bigger than it is now. Anderson has been obsessed with selling candy and pop for years. Back in 2013, NIT reported that “Anderson spent $1,752.09 of Mason City taxpayer dollars on items like blue raspberry syrup, Frito BBQ chips, Kit Kats, Snickers, Milky Ways, Twix, Snappy Yellow Popcorn, wrapped lollies and much more.” He scored the cash from taxpayers via the defunct Micro-Enterprise program. The program was described as “help” for small business owners, who may receive up to $5,000 per year in taxpayer dollars. In addition to junk food, Anderson spent hundreds of taxpayer dollars on items for re-sale (retail inventory) like t-shirts and sweatshirts that cost about $1,585.00.
The city council is being asked to vote yay or nay on Anderson’s request at Tuesday night’s regular meeting.
I get the point of this article but it doesn’t really dig into anything except what sounds like sour grapes, as per usual. This building generates almost $9000 per year in property taxes and probably thousands more in utility payments for water/sewer and other things. So even though it might be an awful business plan, if it just stays open for three more years the City gets to still collect on all those taxes. So unless it can be shown this is really a black hole for the City I fail to really see the problem. It’s either this or the business declares bankruptcy, lets the building go and then the City will most likely have to pay thousands to demolish it.
The city poured millions into a motel that everyone knew was not going to happen and a walkway overlooking an empty parking lot let’s give him the money to keep his business going. Also city council put in a fricken BOWLING ALLEY in the vacant mall we own. Thanks “SEMPER FI “