Commentary: Downtown Mason City
The enthusiasm shown by local media outlets is to be expected; the Globe Gazette and KGLO along with the local CBS television station are all in bed with the current city administration. There are more issues and unanswered questions in this magpie than there are between Israel and Palestine. Remember the burning plant that wanted to burn our waste? Bookmeyer was ready to jump into that in spite of the fact that these people were turned away from every city they approached. Bookmeyer even put Tornquist on the Landfill Board to try and ram it down their throats… didn’t happen, wasn’t enough. Another failure.
How does the saying go? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The late Steve Jobs C.E.O. of Apple had a sign on his office wall; it said “Question Everything” I think he might have known a thing or two. Remember if Bookmeyer’s wife gets a better job offer, he’s gone but you’re not. He followed the money here from Clinton, Iowa do you think for one minute he has found a home here, that this is journey’s end? Let’s all hope not.
I believe this Mall has filed for bankruptcy or is in receivership; I don’t follow that aspect of life but if I recall there are massive financial problems there. It sure is empty, at least 50% empty, with stores fleeing all the time. Now Bookmeyer and his minions want to pour in millions of dollars they do not yet have into this property. Add up how much Bookmeyer has cost this city in liability charges, stolen stamps and who knows what else; and please don’t be stupid enough to say “we’re insured” because anymore of those complaints that could take us once more into the settlement chamber might be the last time this city could find someone to insure us.
Hotels… it seems there are more hotel rooms in this city than there are people. Now some brilliant developer is going to pour a couple million more into more rooms. Is that what you think? I was in business before computers; then there were thousands of salespeople traveling the highways calling on customers and filling hotel rooms and restaurants. That is over with and has been over since these same clients started to buy “on line” saving millions in road expenses. You better wake up here and if you’re smart you’ll stay wide awake.
by Peter Children of Mason City
THis Is correct Peter!! Occupancy in Mason city is horrible and has been , oh the historic hotel saying 85% occupied most of time !! lol 27 rooms!! Not hard to do! Place falling apart you got Mr Steve Noto who spends 9o % of the time drunk at the place . That’s good for business! can’t keep the staff Happy, I talked to one just the other day and he says that atleast 4 are planning on leaving ASAP. hockey In MC was a thing of the past I can’t see spending all that $$ on something so silly . Niacc has always been an excellent place for events
I say charge the old mall walkers $5.00 to help pay for hockey rink !!
Hahaha just kidding .. Geez I just gave them an idea !!
I’m definitely for it. This city needs it. It’ll change everything.
It’s not just a hockey rink. Everyone thinks that’s all there is to this. There is also the pavilion, which will be great for the summer Friday nights downtown. And in the off season, the rink will serve for other purposes. When Ragbrai came through, look how many people were downtown to see Brett Michaels. People will go to concerts there, and other events. It will be nice that it can be used for basketball tournaments, sporting programs through our local Parks and Rec. IIa not even a hockey fan, but there are many in North Iowa that are fans. Also, youth hockey is big in North Iowa. Anything is better than letting a building of that size sit empty. This can be a good thing for Mason…
@Anonymous-I completely disagree. How many kids are in youth hockey? 100 or so? We have auditoriums at the high schools for basketball tournaments. We paid for them already. We have auditoriums at NiACC for concerts and they can play in the park in the summer time. Everything you say is already here and we should not spend millions on a special interest project. Spend you money if you want but not mine. My taxes should go to maintaining city services. That is what it is for.
I’m confused, what auditorium for basketball tournaments. This year, the kids went to Des Moines. And yes NIACC has their auditorium, but their performing arts series isn’t the genre for everyone. And they only seat around 1000. If this arena brings in concerts that attract other ages, it will be great. Like I said, look at how many people Bret Michaels brought here, and he’s a rocker from the 80’s. The mall is there. It can’t just sit there empty. And please don’t say it shouldn’t have been built. It’s there and something needs to be done to keep downtown going.
Maybe if more people would have supported it and shopped there instead of going to walmart, the mall wouldn’t be hurting. Walmart has hurt this community and the downtown. Something needs to be done downtown and I for one am excited about this.
Here’s a idea for you if you really want to re-vitalize the downtown. Tear down the mall and open up the center of the city again. Every single expert that has been brought in says that the problem with downtown is there is no flow through or access to the downtown area. Use the High school auditoriums or Music Man Square (that was supposed to save Mason City). We has always supported the stores in the mall but malls are going under all over the country. Let it die in peace.
And, the kids went to Des Moines because that is where the tournaments are held each year. That includes wrestling.
Evidently there are not enough rich people in this town to support the mall. Why would you go there to buy a shirt/pants etc when you can go somewhere else and pay 20 to 50% less. This town is becoming a senior citizen town, people that on fixed incomes.
It’s not about rich people. I shop at younkers quite often. They have great sales. And if you shop those sales, there merchandise is less money than the crap at walmart. And when penny’s was in the mall. Same thing. Their prices were not too high at all. People just automatically think walmart is always cheaper. Not so. In fact, some of their grocery items are more money than hyvee or fareway. Walmart sucks.
@Anonymous-you are correct about Yonkers and Pennys. We really hated to see Penny’s leave. Been shopping there for years.
LVS. I don’t buy into your argument that down town MC is inaccessible to traffic. Hwy 122 is a block or two away and that is your major artery. And who the neck travels north or south along 65. In fact down town MC is more accessible than most major NICE cities
Every single study that “WE” have paid for over the years says to revitalize the downtown area you must open Federal Ave. up again. You can not get the traffic flow down Federal so the major stores are not interested in locating there. That is why it is all pawn shops and offices.
Friday nights live = keep the people drunk!
Hockey rink=keep people drunk!
I went to Clear Lake’s downtown live and it blows Mason City’s to pieces! Clear Lake’s is more fun and friendly! You think a rink and swank hotel is the key to Mason’s salvation – not! That Ragbri was just a one time good deal! How many more years will that happen again?
They do it right in CL. They have a better sense of community there, it seems, on so many levels.
Yes the money that is going to pay for this project will be tax money from people all over Iowa. But if the projects this money pays for can not stand up and be self sufficient after completion then they should not be completed. We do not need another project that will be a drain on citizens. I am tired as a property owner and taxpayer paying for projects that people can use if they don’t work. Look at our parks they could use help but many people that use them and dirty them up don’t even pay taxes to help support them.. Lets have one park for welfare people and let the people who pay the bills have nice public areas.
I know of a couple of business’s looking to fill empty spaces in the mall if this goes through. If this works it could really revitalize downtown.
I have heard the same thing. I’m not even going to read the comments on this anymore. Too many negative people. The ones that think tearing it down and changing the road back….that is probably alot more money than the changes to the mall. Get over it. The mall was built. Now something needs to be done with it. People complain about their taxes. I would rather pay more in taxes to better the community than to keep giving money to the school board for Anita salary.
So if this is such a great idea WHY didn’t a private investor bring this forward. OH ya they know its a money loser so lets have the taxpayer foot the bill. Your right the mall was built and it was a flop so lets tear it down before it cost all of us more money.
I can’t argue with your last statement. If you can guarantee that I will go along with this.
All of this for a hockey puck? We have a real,hockey puck running this town
@Mayor-sure there are seat on the council, but, if you are not one of the group you don’t stand a chance. Just like last time when they refused to debate and the media backed up the establishment. Keep on smoking the funny stuff if it makes you feel good and you don’t get caught.
Why you gotta be a jerk? My post was intended to start a dialogue and you go to a slam on smoking the funny stuff. Go f yourself troll.
Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It is kind of a sore spot. These are the same people that are now asking us to trust them.
Its all good. I understand your skepticism of the local yokels. Ive been burned myself but other than getting some new blood elected and winning a seat at the table what hope do we have for change. We can bitch about it here with about the same results as pissin in the wind.
Peter…. your comments about traveling businessmen and hotel occupancy rates are right on. The days of salesman calling on the famers daughter and trying to sell a vacuum cleaner are over. I could get more excited about this proposal if it included some high tech, global, innovative thinking.
Either way we pay. Urban payoff or urban decay. Plenty of open seats on the counsel for armchair quarterbacks, stepup to the plate.
@RUKidding-Don’t forget Northbridge. What a disaster that has been and the was all Jean Marinos.
I am fine with this project just so long as it doesn’t cost the local taxpayer. We were told how great the mall would be downtown too and that has proven to be a big waste of money. I don’t want to see 10 years from now the cost of maintaining it be pasted on to the property owners here.
@ rukidding, Then you are not fine with this project. The 7 million that Des Moines just handed the project was your tax money. Unless the entire amount was raised by private donations then tax money is being used. Besides that 7 million, the County Board of Supervisors gave them 1/2 million dollars of your tax money.
@watchdog-and T.I.F. is our tax mony too.
I understand your point but the local politicians have said this will not be a burden to the local taxpayer so if it doesn’t end up costing the property owners in Mason City in day to day cost such as maintenance, heating, cooling etc. Then I am ok with it. This project if completed must be 100 percent self sufficient if not I hope we DO NOT GET it.
I find it interesting that the 7 million handed out was around the same time of the prostitution ring bust! Hmmmm!
As we have been shafted before (many times) by city officials, and knowing the current administration as I do, I think we will be shafted again. They will all be gone and all the hockey people’s kids will grow up and be gone and we will still be paying. I would love to see our city grow but it is good jobs that are needed, not spending more money that we don’t have with no return on our investment. We just finished paying off the original cost on the mall about five years ago.
There are only a small handful of families here who think the fairground hockey rink is simply not good enough for their child. We have been down this road before….or did you forget? Don’t you remember the select committee that Bookmeyer picked; all who had self interests to see that it passed. Remember that bunch; rather blatant I thought. Our mayor’s brain is saturated will illusions of grandeur.
That’s right! We can’t forget about Northbridge, Southbridge, Indianhead… all where our city leaders spent our money, padded thier resume (and/or pockets) and moved away to better things and left US with the outcomes. I also think it was WRONG to sell OUR land off for a Starbucks, that could have located many other places with less traffic issues.
I don’t think it’s a matter of the fairground hockey rink not being good enough….the fair board doesn’t want the ice arena anymore. They would rather rent that building to the horse associations. And I think they can make more money from the horse associations with not as much repairs and upkeep as an ice rink.
@Anonymous, There you go, who is going to pay the same “upkeep” expenses you talk about? Is it going to be a private enterprise or the City? We don’t have those facts. I am all for incentivising private business to come here, but not for the city to go into private business.
What you say might be correct but that answer will not solve the problems that exist here now. The real solution to what is ailing this community can be found in the voting booth….no one votes. Bookmeyer and the entire council should be arrested for malfeasance. If there was ever a case for that it is here in your face right now.
This show won’t be over until the fat lady sings….and from what I hear she is just off stage now waiting to sing…..and what a wonderful song it will be, but it won’t be one you haven’t heard before. The lyric’s of her song should bring forth just how infected and malignant this city government really is and should enjoin the Chamber as well.
Record I think your wrong -they are so hard up for revenue their importing welfare people from chicago / deadtroit because they know these people will generate business by spending their welfare checks every month – sad.
Pete, Mason City has no growth or jobs because the Chamber and City Government don’t want Blacks, Mexicans, or what they call the undesirable elements in Mason City. This project is needed to infuse money into the community so the town don’t dry up completely. Mason City is living on it’s own tax dollars because there is never any new money coming to town for the long term. This project will too be a drain on the senior citizens and working class. This is what happens when only the elite have all the power.
City and NI Corridor did not appear to want Winnebago here very badly. What effort was made to close the deal for their latest expansion? There appeared to be no effort made, even as Winnebago came to MC to look at possible locations. So Winnebago chose Waverly over Mason City, as Waverly rolled out the red carpet. That’s a sad truth, and your commentary is pretty close to what seems to be happening here.
The undesirable element of afro Americans and illegals, DO NOT, create jobs. They have no real skill other then being common laborers, if that. Basically what they are is a burden on tax paying citizens. As for not wanting these undesirables, that’s true, what city would. But, several years ago when Lori Henry was on the council, she advertised to these undesirables to come here and live, because of all the freebees that were available. Since then, they just keep coming and coming and coming.
@Allen-Is that what started this? I know a realtor in Northwood and Charles City started their mess but did’t know what started it here. Thanks.
As far as I can remember, she’s the one and only. Of course she did it to make herself look good.
@Allen-Kind of like Bookie and the hockey rink.