Washington Post 4/22; DC S&EC under heavy fire

Depressing.

As has been said before, but should be said again:

The Stadium Authority have been pimping themselves to land baseball. All we've gotten as United fans is nothing so far. All that the city has gotten is a bunch of loud noise and pollution from third rate race cars.

By the way, I think the commission could use someone like me as a chief. We'd eat at Arby's, stay at Motel 6, recycle, and build DC United the best soccer stadium in the western hemisphere. We would ignore the baseball pipedream, bring in minor league baseball instead (relocating the Bowie Bay Sox...easier than the Expos) and rename them the Washington Isotopes...Albuquerque be damned!!

And another thing, you wouldn't have to pay $30,000 for me to stay in a downtown apartment and take limos. I ride a bike and take public transportation...you may have to pay my $70/month subsidies and fix a flat now and then.

Oh yeah! And I'd like to take out those F'in jersey barriers in lot 7.

Also, I hope you all don't mind me surfing bigsoccer now and again on your dime.

Tim

 

it was nice to see ol' bobby get taken out behind the woodshed and spanked. what kills me is he defended some of the expenditure saying that they had done captial improvements to RFK! have any of you seen any capital improvment the last few years? if there has been some, it hasn't been in any public facilities. the bathrooms are still condemable, the concession stands a joke, nothing has changed much in the seating. maybe the money got spent on the Stadium Authorities private boxes or something.

not only that, but they seemed to raise concession prices, i think beer went up a buck! next time you spend over $5 for a Bud, remember you are funding bobby g's time on the town.

 

I note one of the complainants said he noticed very few events being scheduled.

Probably the result of the schedules of those two damned soccer teams that use the stadium.

 

I still say Bobby Goldwater is a wank. Wank. Wank. Wank.

His crimes will include the building of a race track in a residential (!) area, the continuing abusive security at DC United games (suggest that SE/BB/LN all wear yellow polo shirts for one game), and the shootings at the Stadium Club that left two people dead at this unlicensed nightclub.

 

Improvement to what at RFK? Does the $10 parking fee go to this tool too? Do they pay CSC or does United?

 

There have been some. They've installed a JumboTron and they've fixed the problem with falling cement.

By the way, in addition to the Post running a story about DCSEC wasting money, the Times ran a story on DC-city employees being paid a lot more money than in other cities. Guess which employee makes the most money?

http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20030421-791809.htm

 

They had to, otherwise the cement would go throught the rusting floor of the temporary bleachers (how do you let the flooring rust?)

 

$26,000 for 7 months in an apartment? That seems like a lot.

 

While we all hate Bobby G and the rest of the commission, and are all "shocked, shocked" to see a D.C. city agency wasting money on travel and perks, I think that this might be a situation where we're better off with the devil we know.

Here's my thinking -- it's taken a couple of years, but Goldwater finally seems to get that DCU is important. He's developed relationships with Uncle Phil's people, and things seem finally to be perking up on the SSS front. If he goes, the greater likelihood is that we'll have to start over from scratch -- the new guy will see his chance at glory as being to pull off the Expos deal, and that will be priorities #1-10. The soccer community will have to start over from scratch with the kind of cultivation that brought the current guy around to where he is now, delaying things for another couple of years.

Of course, there is the possibility that the city will go out of its way to hire someone who's already on board with soccer, and/or give the new person a mandate to treat the sport well. But I just have a harder time seeing that scenario come true.

 

Since he had previously run the AEG-owned Staples Center, he was supposed to be one of Uncle Phil's people...

This paragraph is most distressing:

Everybody in DC knows that if you want to make an impression on someone at mealtime, take them to Ben's Chili Bowl. The food is just as good, and it won't cost $359.60.

 

My guess is that Goldwater's days are numbered (pick a low number).

There's been lots of grumbling about the Grand Prix fiasco and finding out about his lavish spending practices will add to calls for his ouster. The mayor's not going to be willing to stick his neck out for him (whether or not he'd be inclined to do so).

I would have been happy to see Goldwater go until recently. But last week we heard that he'd been meeting with Garber and Kevin Payne (representing AEG) about a SSS and had flown out to LA and been impressed by the Home Depot Center - so I'm not sure what to think.

It's almost impossible to figure out what is going on in the secretive decision-making processes of the Stadium & Entertainment Commission, MLS and AEG but some people (Goff?) thought we might get a relatively quick resolution to the stadium issue once baseball announces when/whether the Expos will relocate this summer.

Hopefully Goldwater's absence won't in any way mess up the process. Anschutz probably still wants to get a deal done. The SEC will be (deservedly) under more scrutiny now. Let's hope that a deal still gets done and that no one on the city council will adopt blocking a soccer stadium as their pet cause.

 

As far as RFK improvements go, what improvements? Yeah a jumbotron-from a few years ago. The only improvement this year I saw was nicer signs at the concession stands so they can rake in more $ for Barry

FIRE this guy IMMEDIATELY

Then put an ad in the paper for his replacement. "$275,000/yr + benefits. Benefits include all-expenses paid trips to Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, baseball All-Star games, Grand Prix events, Washington Wizards games, etc. Get your friends high-paying jobs as lawyers. Get free limo rentals. Get paid to stay in the most expensive hotels and eat at the most expensive restaurants with your friends. Live in a lavish apartment that costs over $3,800 a month. Work to chedule events that lose $, including Grand Prix events. Get paid to throw lavish parties for DC sports heroes. Have DC United who help pay for your salary and your lifestyle kiss your *ss while asking for a soccer venue you may never decide to give them. Also paying your salary is DC taxpayers, but you won't hear from them. You'll even make more than the mayor, who actually has to work for a living."

Unbelievable.........

 

As much as he sucks, I doubt you will see DC take action. Since they are desperately whoring themselves for baseball, it wouldn't look too good right now for them to be firing folks and admitting to fiscal wrongdoing.

If MLB relocates the Expos to NoVa, I think you will see heads roll. The rumors have already started that relocation might not be till 2005 or later, so I think we are stuck with this drama for as long as it takes for baseball to decide. Then the city might take action and pay attention to DCU. Not before.

 

I've read recently that the Expos relocation is more likely in 2005 than 2004. But I think the decision is still expected before the MLB all-star break- that would theoretically allow the decision making process for a SSS to proceed.

 

Bad stuff

I don't live in the District, but if I did, I would do everything in my power to get him fired.

Under the last 2 years of Goldwater's watch, the $18 Million cash reserve has depleted 81% to $3.4 Million.

Where has this money gone, and what has it brought the city? How much was spent to make a bid for the 2012 Olympic games? How much was spent to bring a the Tyson/Lewis Heavy Weight Boxing fight? How much is being spent to get the Expos' to move to D.C.? What was the outcomes of these ventures (Baseball is still in question)? D.C. has got NOTHING! I still don't think that they'll get baseball.

I'm not sure what the mission of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission is, but I'd bet that part of it is to bring in big name events to the District. With that being said, it is clear that Goldwater has been unable to do this and judging by the depletion of funds, he is not very fiscally responsible.

If it wasn't for the Wizards, Caps and United the city wouldn't even be able to attract people to the city for events. I'm not sure how successful the WNBA is but I'd imagine that the only reason we have the Mistics, and the Freedom for that matter is because we already have the stadium/arena available for them.

I think that Goldwater is finally realizing his failures to attract anything new to the city so he's trying to make an "public" effort to get United it's own stadium. This of course is a pipe dream under his watch because he clear does not have the financial management skills to help build a stadium.

I'd imagine that we'll see Mayor Williams put Goldwater in the hot seat soon because the city won't be able to start the Anacostia River Revitalization Project without help from the DCSEC.

As for Ben's Chili Bowl... hey, if it's good enough for past Presidents it should be good enough for anyone. (I don't think that I've ever seen it before 3am before though... does it actually exist during the day, or does it just come out at night?)

 

Re: Bad stuff

See, this statement means it is obvious you don't live in the District. There is no way to get anyone in the city Government fired. At least not for private citizens. Incompetence is rewarded in the district and embez...oops... misallocation of funds is normal. Just look at the last Mayoral election. Chief Ramsey thought that the goal for a success rate for solving homicides was too high so he lowered the bar to around 60% (which is quite a bit higher than the current souccess rate around 50% or so).

So, no I have no faith that anything will get done about this and even if Goldwater is promoted to the DC treasury, the misappropriation of funds at the DC S&EC will continue.

 

"Goldwater, who previously worked at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and New York's Madison Square Garden, showed a tendency to entertain in a big way almost as soon as he arrived in Washington, the D.C. commission records show."

anyone notice that Goldwater worked at the Staples Center, which is an AEG property.


#1 Stunna

 

Corrupt politicians are nothing new ... particularly to DC. But my biggest concern is what will lead to the best situation for AEG getting a stadium with self-sustaining revenue streams? If AEG has indeed made headway with Goldwater (whom I do detest) and that headway will be lost, then I'm hoping he sticks around until ground is broken on DC United Park (or whatever corporate name is ends up having). If it makes no difference--or possibly even helps AEG--for Goldwater to go, then I'm all for kicking him out the door ASAP.

Frankly, Goldwater hasn't sounded like a guy who wants to build DC United a stadium. So, if he goes, I doubt it will hurt AEG's chances significantly. But, it sure would be nice to get his replacement to visit the Home Depot Center in LA.

The bottom line is that Mayor Williams, Goldwater, and most likely his replacement, have baseball as the only priority. Until DC United can actually find funding outside of DC, it will probably not get any support inside DC, regardless of who heads the DCSEC.

Now, if building DC United a stadium could somehow save Goldwater his job ... then we might have some hope. But I just cannot see that scenario bearing fruit. It seems more likely that a replacement steers far away from the baseball chasing and money losing dance. Building something is always a more accepted use of millions of dollars earmarked for sports.

I can envision AEG's plan having significantly lower overhead, and virtually guaranteeing DC a profit from the stadium. That might be very appealing to a guy appointed in the wake of a funds squandering scandal.

-Digital

 

They did a lot of improvements to the mezzanine sections and upgraded some of them to club level.

The best change in the last couple of years is the Capitol Grill. There's a real caterer who cooks halfway decent burgers and hot dogs and burritos and such. And it's open to everyone, not just mezzanine ticket holders.

 

Yes. I pointed that out on the first page. When he was first hired I was under the impression that he had been all-but planted there by Anschutz for the purpose of building a stadium for DC United.

Apparently I was wrong.

 

I recall reading in more than one source that AEG had earmarked something to the effect of $5,000,000 (and no less) for capital improvements to RFK. At the time they said that these would be made or invested in a new stadium.

WHERE THE HELL DID THIS MONEY GO?

It surely was not into the stadium. I have a feeling it all went into the pockets of the Cadillac Grand Prix pimps and up MLB's backside.

K, I'd love to know how Goldwater's wife (you still work with her, right?) is reacting to this...

This is almost as good as the Teacher's Union...just goes to show you that Washington is an international city, like Nigeria...

Tim

 

Re: Bad stuff

Unfortunately, neither does Goldwater....

They have been flailing around for high-profile events in spectacularly bad fashion. The Olympics, the Tyson fight, the Grand Prix, and now baseball. It wasn't on his watch, but don't forget the commission couldn't keep the Redskins, the only team in the area w/ real support, from building in MD.

As much as I hate to say it, I honestly think any new SSS will have to be built outside of DC, unless Uncle Phil decides to foot the entire bill himself. I expect incompetence from my government, and I pay quite high taxes to get it, but these clowns really take the cake.