Geek and I were joking at Hardwick’s show today that we should do a list of platitudes we’ve heard about Bass Pro, e.g., it’s thisclose to getting done, we’re making progress, it’s looking good, big projects like this take time, etc.
The bloody thing has been “days, not weeks away” for months now.
In today’s News, they’re talking about how the deal is almostnotyetjustaboutholdyourbreath signed because everyone’s decided to scrap the idea of rehabbing the asbestos-laden, mold-encrusted old Aud and just rip the thing down and letting our friends from Missouri building whatever they want there.
Go for it. I don’t care. But that’s because I’m neither a native nor a big sports fan, so the Aud doesn’t hold a special place in my heart. I was in Boston when they tore down the Garden. Meh.
They should still auction off every auctionable item located in that building, including the bloody rags.
One caller to Hardline queried whether people would bother shopping in a downtown store in the wintertime. There are lots of cities around the world with winter weather that is similar or worse than Buffalo’s that have thriving outdoor commercial shopping districts. Moscow, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm – even Toronto and Montreal.
Professor Hardwick mentioned that people used to do shopping downtown all the time back in the day. True, said the caller, but the city has lost population since then. True, says I, but not just city dwellers would visit an attractive downtown with things to do and see.
And not just other WNYers – people always seem to forget to market our city, attractions, and shopping to our neighbors across the bridges. A loonie costs 88 cents versus 65 a few years ago. Our 8.75% sales tax looks a hell of a lot better than a combined 15% GST/PST. We should be capitalizing on a multi-million person market a lot better than we have been. Hell, even an information booth or a “New York” welcome center on Grand Island might have a big impact. The first one they hit now is either in Pembroke (90 E) or Angola (90 W).
As an aside, kudos to Sharon Linstedt for her proper use of the word “myriad” in the last sentence.
The Buffalo Record 
Contribute To The Conversation