And the crime begins

Yes kinda late of a post from the Journal Times but perhaps The City Administer   Tom Friedel needed to approve the story first but to the point the pitch to steal your money for a dead Racine has begun

From the Journal Times “…

YORKVILLE — At the end of Tuesday night’s meeting on funding options for the proposed Downtown arena, Mayor John Dickert drew on a piece of wisdom he said he learned from a nun during high school.

“Go out and make the world a better place,” he said. “That’s your job. I took that seriously.”..” http://journaltimes.com/news/local/arena-cost-share-proposed/article_e820a943-184c-52f5-97b6-8cd22a927e85.html

Wow the City needing to remove street lights and cut the Bus service to almost nothing wants to pay 2/3 of the cost  of a 40+ Million Arena. Well not the city so much as you the tax payer so the Downtown Racine bar owners can make more money, after all the Bar Owners have been good to Mayor Dickert (well the white bar owners the Black-Hispanic mostly being driven from the area)

As the County Board goes forward looking at this I do hope they look at the results of other City of Racine projects:

Porter’s:  Unknown amount spent site now empty

Delta Hawk Unknown Amount spent from City of Racine and State   100 + Jobs promised: Company sold to others unknown jobs no job numbers ever given in public

Machinery Row, Millions lent State Tax credits approved Federal/State Grants given:

Legal action between partners, Legal Action on former owner, Loan not repaid, no building going on at site no activity can be seen from street, Racine County web site appears to say that the project IS NOT PAYING TAXES

Strong rumor is that a State grant will be used to buy land given to Machinery Row by the City so the property tax bill is paid …?

And the Racine County Board is thinking of doing ANYTHING with the city of Racine that’s right its not their money its yours and the right folks will benefit and that is not you.

 

And the lies are spun

From the Journal Times  http://journaltimes.com/news/local/dickert-arena-proposal-would-bring-hundreds-of-jobs/article_8e143ead-e62d-5ca0-ba8a-250698a0a399.html  “…

While that’s been taking place, Mayor John Dickert has been working behind the scenes and in tandem with the county to make the project a reality.

“This is a community opportunity,” Dickert said. “This is not a city or county thing or anything else. This is all of us partnering together on an opportunity to create jobs.”

Those jobs are a vital benefit of the arena proposal, which was presented publicly for the first time to the County Board Tuesday. The $40 million events center would add more than 300 jobs as well as 450 construction jobs during the building process, according to Dickert. …”

Well now let just look at his track record on projects our fine Mayor has talked about

Team Porters   Number of Jobs 0  Site is now a field of grass

Delta Hawk Jobs promised 100 Jobs created ??  Business sold to another local company no report ever given that I am aware of, we were that if X jobs where not created the money given by the City of Racine would be “clawed back” no idea if that was ever stared nor occurred

Machinery Row a 60 Million project city loans given Grants received for the project

so far..

The loan not paid back talks to extend loan payments, from a review of city of Racine information on line not happening and from what I can find from the City and county of Racine the properties are behind on taxes! Yes Machinery Row is NOT paying taxes (gee I thought they would have to?). We are also told that work on the Brownfield issues are being done as I type this, however the most number of cars I have seen at this site is 3 so I can only think that no this is not happening.

From what I can see and read from pubic information is nothing is going on at the site and Machinery Row like Porters is well kinda dead

Of course we have the 800K “lost” loan from a building on Main st as you know from the Journal Times the paper work securing this loan kinda of sorta got lost not filed not done in the first place.

Damn Racine is good when it comes to doing/following up on  projects

Questions that should be ask include is the Brewhouse at Reef Point Marina paying rent yet?

How many “Boaters” outside the Zip code of Racine have come to Reef Point Marina? Is it covering its own costs?

How much money has Venue Works lost in running Festival Hall last report is 300K in the red. Gee how much money can they lose on this?

Our Mayor of course is saying what a great place a arena would be for the area you know the Jobs we have the folks coming to downtown Racine etc You know the lies we have been told for years and years but this time it will be different.

Of course it will be sure you know I got this great bridge for sale in New York

 

 

Let’s spend money we do not have

Does it hurt yet? Because you are going to learn to take it

From The Journal Times 8/24/16

“…

RACINE — A new study recommends a $40 million Downtown Racine events center attached to a 135-room hotel, though uncertainty about funding looms over discussions.

A conceptual plan presented Tuesday to the Racine County Board calls for a 3,800-seat arena to be built on vacant land at the southeast corner of Lake Avenue and Gas Light Drive.

In addition to the Milwaukee Bucks Developmental League team, officials say a United States Hockey League franchise has expressed interest in a Racine arena, which would also host concerts and other events.

A proposal on how to fund it has not yet emerged. An arena would cost about $40 million, according to the study from Hunden Strategic Partners….”

Lets be bold here did you think that Hunden Strategic Partners was NOT going to say that this the idea of an arena was not going to be the best thing since White bread? If they did how many more studies would they be hired to do, after all how much money will be generated in Downtown Racine even if nothing is ever built?Think of the Grants that could be received for this project! Think of the paid trips the Mayor and his pals could go on! Think of the booze that could be sold! Think of the cash only income near by business could make the sets of books one could have!

Of course we are told that crowds will come from Milwaukee and Northern IL to see our worse then Farm teams play, the backers of this plan must have not heard of

The Bucks

The Blackhawks

The Cubs

The Milwaukee Admirals

The White Socks

The Wave

Get the point?  The number of sports teams to see without ever coming near the Racine exits?

Looking at our population we are told that we would be the base of support to for the teams (right sure of course)

We would be paying the 40+ Million that this would cost this being on top of the 200 Million debit we now have oh the joy of the City of the Racine.

Now word is that the Hockey Team in the Newspaper is NOT the only Hockey team to use this but an NHL team owner will offer to move a Farm team here (and Big Foot is coming too)

Word is too that a “Named Hotel Chain” wants to come to Racine and build the Hotel with no ” tax payer” funds (you heard about Big Foot right?)

I will be following this story closely

 

Are you ready Racine for what is coming?

Are you ready for what is coming? You know you want it after all you been fucked by :

Point Blue

Team Porters

Machinery Row ( Wait til you hear the new idea AND who will pay the bills)

From the Journal Times 8/21/16

“…

The Racine County Board on Tuesday will hear the results of a recent study centered on the possibility of constructing an arena in Racine.

Moreover, the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting mentions the possibility of a hotel in connection to the arena. On Friday, Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details about the hotel in advance of the meeting.  …”

As much as Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details (and why should he he only works for us but looks like he is controlled by Mayor John Dickert)

I will speculate:

1. The location is Downtown Racine thinking the old WE Energy site on Lake St
2. The hotel a long time goal of Mayor John Dickert and will include a convention center thinking this be the filled in 5th St Marina that the County can not sell nor has found any interest in. What better way to dispose of a White Elephant then sell it to the tax payers?
3. The Sports arena will include an indoor Ice rink something else a long time goal of the Downtown Racine crowd wants badly maybe something called for in the Root Works plan
4. The Ice rink we will be told would be used by An NHL farm team we will be told would be moved or started in Racine
5. That the convention center of course would be ran by the same company Venu Works that only loss 300K last year and has trouble filling the Festival Hall in Racine
6. the cost (about say 50 Million) would be split between The City of Racine County of Racine and forced loans I mean donations from the Racine Business community

That local Sport player (s) from Racine we will be told will buy naming rights, to honor another local sports hero.

That there are a few 100K in grants to kick the project off (and pay the developer?)

Of course the report will say  there is a HUGE need for a Sports Complex and Hotel/Convention center. We will be told that many from Chicago would come to Racine to see the Sports team Ice Skate then spend $$ in Downtown Racine, after all just go downtown and see all the cars from IL, and the line of cars coming to Racine on Hwy 11 to visit this Hell hole I mean great city.

Now how will Machinery Row impact this when new details on that project comes out?

Overall just know your not taxed enough and need to pay more to allow the pals of John Dickert to make money off you now be good and bend over because its coming

 

 

Machinery Row! Is dead dead dead or a new set of lies? With update!

From The Journal Times http://journaltimes.com/business/local/racine-committee-to-discuss-machinery-row-in-closed-session/article_bfaacc4e-3fe7-5dbc-8bfc-bb987ff9130a.html

“… The Racine Executive Committee will meet in closed session at 7 p.m. today to discuss Machinery Row, the proposed mixed-use, riverfront redevelopment along Water Street. No open session will follow…”

Why what might this be about?

Could it be the fact that the loan from the city of Racine to Rodney Blackwell for this project even after an extension has not been repaid AND I can find nothing about another being granted. Might is be about that? From the records I can find (like none) there is no proof he has paid the City of Racine anything and with no signed agreement between the city and Blackwell approved by the Aldermen will he ever?

Did the City here unlike on the Main Street fiasco file a lean on the properties? Did Blackwell sign a personal responsibly note on this loan or could he simply walk away or in his case drive away?

Might it be what one discovers when searching Tax records on the properties making up Machinery Row will that be discussed?

This reporter thinks that Blackwell can not do this project and will claim to be looking for partners to help him finish something maybe low income housing maybe an Arena perhaps a Casino God knows what.

All bets are off if we ever see dime one back from yet what is looking like another failed project under Mayor Dickert

Note

there was a meeting of the Executive committee  last night on Machinery Row with no action taken, two points No action needing to be reported in the meting minuets taken. Any information given was not shared with the reporter from the Journal Times nor any Alderman said anything.

My guess and after living under Mayor John Dickert if all was going well there would have been a press event.

So the question is when will we know how bad things are in Machinery Row how will the City explain this away?

Take this opportunity to check on the project as I would and the J-T should with the property and tax records.

A search on how well Rodney Blackwell is doing with his projects in Iowa might be useful too.

Who is allowed to own “bars” in Downtown Racine?

Who is allowed to own bars in Downtown Racine? Lets see what the Newspaper might tell us

From the Journal Times http://journaltimes.com/news/local/liquor-license-denied-for-proposed-gas-station/article_93cecea8-c3d3-545e-8885-0946ba26f32f.html

we have this “… Phesal Ckadan and Bashar Qedan, the father-son duo which runs Twins Food Mart, 1812 16th St., appeared in front of the Public Safety and Licensing Committee Monday with their developer, Eihab Atout, seeking to exceed the city’s Class A liquor license quota at the proposed central-city gas station. The proposed location, 930 Washington Ave., is within 1,000 feet of two other liquor-selling establishments; the committee unanimously denied their request. That means the gas station, if opened, will not be licensed to sell alcohol…”  this continues ..

“It’s a million-dollar investment,” Atout said. “We have to succeed.”

When Fifth District Alderman Steve Smetana questioned Atout further on why the liquor license was necessary, Atout compared the potential gas station to other local businesses.

“We want to do the same thing as Kwik Trip,” Atout said. “We want to do the same thing as Walgreens. We want to do the same thing as everybody else.”

Mind you the owners of this Station are black and own stores in the inner city my understanding is the owners do a lot for the area that Twins is in in the inner City of Racine

but read what the City has to say .., ”

Deputy City Attorney Nicole Larsen told the committee that, in her opinion, the application to exceed the quota didn’t meet the four conditions necessary for approval outlined in the city’s ordinances. Those four conditions are: the submission of petition that outlines a business plan and relevant experiences; proof of ownership; evidence that the business will have “greater economic impact;” and evidence that the business will substantially improve the tax base.

“The ordinance sets out very clearly the requirement that you need to meet,” Larsen said. “It’s your obligation to show the committee that you can meet those requirements.”…”

Of course they weere unable to do so and FYI  the owners of Twins are Minorities

On the other side we have this, Right off the top we have this line that speaks volumes to me “…

From the Racine Journal Times  http://journaltimes.com/business/local/downtown-building-sold/article_bd8af615-018e-52f3-adb8-633df1d66e63.html

RACINE – Downtown tavern owner Doug Nicholson has bought the long-vacant 311 Main St. and said rehabbing it “will be our biggest project yet.”

is the owner of three Downtown businesses: Ivanhoe Pub & Eatery, 231 Main St.; Envi Ultra Lounge, 316 Main St.; and Carriage House Liquor Co., 220 State St…”

Word on the street is that this Building will be turned into a large Brew Pub

All three bars (if you can drink at a counter to me its a bar)

All three are within 1000′ of  other bars in the areas of Downtown Racine

So why can he keep getting more bars under his control in Downtown Racine what is different here?

Might it be that be because Nicholson is a long time pal of Mayor Dickert of Racine, who has worked on Dicker Campaigns and serves on the powerful Redevelopment Committee (who serving on this refused to vote on issues with Machinery Row conflict of interests perhaps?)

Might in be because unlike the Owners of Twins who sought to open a liquor store as part of their proposed Gas Station (and got turned down) is White, that Nicholson is allowed to open/buy Bar after bar in Racine?

This will be a very interesting story to follow, and time to look into past meetings of the RDA to see if past meetings of that group might shed light into this.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you lose 800K

From the Racine Journal Times 8/6/16  link http://journaltimes.com/news/local/mayor-aldermen-discuss-k-loan-in-closed-session/article_bb6b4cb7-a371-5659-81b3-0414b556c72a.html

… “RACINE — The City of Racine’s Executive Committee met in closed session Thursday evening, at least in part to discuss an $800,000 loan the city proposed writing off in June.

The Executive Committee includes Mayor John Dickert and five aldermen — Dennis Wiser, Q.A. Shakoor II, Melissa Lemke, Jeff Coe and Terry McCarthy. Dickert said Friday that the meeting was called to keep the aldermen informed on the latest with the loan, made to the now-defunct Main-Lake LLC, between 1993 and 1995 to fund housing at 419-425 Main St.

“It was really just advising the council as to what’s going on,” the mayor said. “A lot of council members have been asking about it so we just wanted to say this is where we’re at.”

State law allows city officials to meet in closed session to discuss strategy with legal counsel. Dickert couldn’t comment on the exact progress made on evaluating the loan. …

when last we read the City of Racine was going to write off the 800K loan made in the 1990’s for the building had been sold twice (if not three times) and if I understand right a lean was never placed on this building and as the story,

… “According to the June release, Elaine Ekes, the city’s consulting attorney, determined that the city would be unable to recoup the loan because the Main-Lake enterprise has dissolved. There was also no collection agreement with Main-Lake’s former parent company, The Alexander Company Inc., a Madison-based real estate developer, or any sort of mortgage taken out on the loan.

The Alexander Company’s president, Joe Alexander, said his company ceased involvement in Main-Lake in late 1997.”

Strong word on the street is that the City of Racine is going to sue to recover the loan.

Who would they sue? The current owner has a clean title, as my guess is the lat owner did, as we will find, all owners did, So then who will the City sue?

How do you not follow what must be SOP anytime  the city makes a loan THAT big?

Or maybe something else might explain what I can only call gross misconduct.

What do you think happened?

Begs the question what is going on with Machinery Row, after all  been three months and no word on what is going on with the loan the City gave on this. Why?