Despite the fact that the convention center was never built, at least one major employer became a casualty. Holling Press, founded by Thomas Holling, a former mayor of Buffalo, was forced to relocate after City Hall refused to discuss the plan or relocation of businesses in the footprint. With the long-term fate of the company up in the air, Holling had little choice but to make an exit to the suburbs. Coincidentally, Mayor Anthony Masiello’s crony Rocco Termini acquired the building and is now converting it into upscale condos.

Many of the same people who scoffed at the idea that the Mohawk site represented an opportunity to recreate a historic and eclectic downtown neighborhood are now on the bandwagon, beating the drum. The Mohawk convention center proposal disappeared into oblivion for a number of reasons, not the least of which was a lack of state funding for the project. So why would the state now fund an even more ambitious project?

Let’s just pretend that we’ve been magically transported into the movie, “The Graduate,” and we’re aimlessly drifting around the pool, like Dustin Hoffman’s character. The man with the one word of advice for our future would appear as Gov. George Pataki, and his word would be: “gaming.”

The Buffalo Lakefront Team’s proposal includes plans for two hotels. The Bass Pro Shop’s $66 million dollar government project includes another hotel. Radisson Hotels is planning another hotel in the old Corn Exchange building, located opposite the proposed federal court house building, and if memory serves me correctly, our civic leaders have seen fit to invest millions of dollars in other hotel projects that have, to put it mildly, had a rather repugnant aftertaste. The former Pillars Hotel at Roswell Park and the Radisson at the Market Arcade are just a couple of the most recent cases of heartburn left behind by the boundless optimism of our civic boosters.

Lest we forget, we had a reminder today that Paul Snyder’s Hyatt hotel also soaked up several million dollars. Snyder wants to sell, and the new waterfront convention center is threatening to scuttle the deal. So there may be trouble in paradise.

Using government money to increase bed space has never increased the demand for that bed space in the past, but just because something doesn’t work doesn’t mean that you should stop trying. Our leaders are nothing, if not tenacious.

Which brings us back to the “Silver Bullet” theory. Building a convention center with 300,000 square feet of space will put us in the ballpark with Fort Lauderdale. The amount of visitors that The Buffalo News has projected will visit the new Bass Pro Shop may rival the draw at the Eiffel Tower (the actual Eiffel Tower in Paris, France). Our planners see us competing as a region, and so it follows that the government must imitate George Steinbrenner, if it expects to “win.”

Joining Amherst-based Uniland Development on the waterfront team is the Opus Group. We have a lot more to say about its involvement in next issue. Does this new team have ties to the Warren Buffett empire? Don’t let the suspense kill you.

In the WNED’s special titled “Buffalo, Building Momentum,” WGRZ-TV’s Scott Levin served up some the softest questions for developer Carl Montante. Levin listened with obedience and reverence as Montante explained why GEICO Insurance, controlled by Buffalo News Chairman Warren Buffett, turned its back on downtown and opted to build its new offices in Amherst.

Levin didn’t have the temerity to question Montante about how laws were bent to provide tax subsidies for the project. Montante was refreshingly honest in projecting that 85 percent of all future development will be of the suburban sprawl variety. He got that number from the Urban Land Institute. One partner in The Buffalo Lakefront Development Team, The Opus Group, has actively participated in The Urban Land Institute. The Team’s plan is filled with ambiguity and silver bullets, like a massive convention center. Who will pay? If the Urban Land Institute’s aggressive advocacy of taxpayer supported stadium deals is any indication, the answer will almost certainly be the taxpayers.

It’s also probably a total coincidence that Opus CEO Mark Rauenhorst has deep roots in Warren Buffett’s hometown of Omaha, Neb., and also sits on the board of directors of ConAgra foods with Warren’s son, Howard G. Buffett.

In any event, The Buffalo News continues to support government investment (some would say, interference) in the downtown Buffalo market. It should not surprise anyone that it also appears to wholeheartedly support its favored developer’s plans for the extensive privatization of public space on the waterfront. By John McMahon

Well, the NFTA has given the Buffalo Lakefront Development Team has been given the green light for its plans to develop the long neglected outer harbor, and the good news is that the plan has an expensive silver bullet, mega-project worked into a program. It appears that our new horizon features another albatross that de-emphasizes public access and input for the good of a well-heeled, chosen few.

Whew! For a minute there we thought we’d be spared another counterproductive and ultimately destructive “community conversation” over greedy development projects that squander massive amounts of government money on dumb ideas.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

powered by AkoComment Tweaked