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Finally! It’s just been announced that a new event center will be built in Idaho Falls.
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It WAS all he had to say about it!
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
And this is going to be funded with tax payers dollars to support a local private business development?. Oh wait this will be wonderful they have a semi-pro hockey team interested. Maybe some ky for the taxpayers before they get screwed on this deal?.
Before you break out the ky, I think you’re missing the big picture here. An event center will not only bring in big name acts, music, sporting events, conventions, (just to name a few), but more importantly it will help create jobs and money for Idaho Falls and it’s citizens. It’s a win/win situation for everyone.
Don’t think so. Not win win for the average IF Joe the taxpayer. Can’t afford tickets to events as it is or going to the so called IF “restaurants”. Tax breaks already went to the SLC development firms. Construction monies will go to SLC construction companies as has been the past practice. The tax levies will go into effect for Idaho Falls residents only. The City and others will continue to “restrict” the events to suit them so we won’t have free market driven entertainment, again. Can’t afford it!!
Well, speaking for us we’d love to have an event center and it would make for a great night out, restaurants and all!
And who has been doing most of the construction at SRL? Answer: Out of State Contractors!. And who will control and benifit from this Event Center? Answer: SRL!. Who will pay for it? Answer: The TAX PAYERS!. Oh and who will have the say as to what concerts, events ect? Answer: SRL. I wouldn’t hold my breath for any “Big Name Acts”.
Regardless of who will actually build the place, I’ll be more than happy to help pay for the event center with higher taxes. At least it’ll be going towards something that will help our city grow as well as bring more entertainment to town. Big acts or small. It’s better than paying more taxes for another park we don’t need. It’ll put local people to work as well as bring more business to our local restaraunts and hotels. We desperately need more entertainment around here as you can only do so much in this town. The new event center will change that in a big way.
I don’t recall ever seeing the CVB asking for taxpayer dollars or even having SLC contractros build this place. I suggest you wait and see before you make dumb comments. In fact, i think the artcle said they were looking at a variety of funding options including private investment, not using tax payer dollars. I think they are smarter than that.
I think we just need to try some new things here. Sometimes the best things come from just diving in and trying. We’ll never progress if we don’t try, but maybe that’s what some people here want.
Oh, and yes, sometimes trying means failing, but I’d rather try.
Santino Corleon, the Director of the CVB said they won’t RAISE taxes for the project. Tax money has already gone into this project before they even had the little model of it. A project of the proposed size would most likely be built by out of area contractor since their are no local construction firms licensed/bonded for a project of the proposed size.
Somebody sees a chance to make money without having to shell out their own money for it, just leave that to the tax payers. I was struck buy the statement that “They” had contacted a minor league hockey team to relocte to Idaho Falls, they’ve been working on this for close to a year and all they can bring to the table is the possibility of a minor league hockey team?. Developers can’t even finish a fricken eye sore on the river called a hotel.
More than 80% of SRL is still unoccupied but yet it was selected by the CVB for the location of this event center?. Looks to me somebody got paid off.
Guess0110, you must have an “in” with the project team, because you seem so knowledgeable about what is going to happen. Actually, I would like know what taxes have already been spent on this project because i beleive it has been funded by private busines up to this point.
Also, they have not contracted with a hockey team, they have only said that they need an anchor tenent like a hockey team to make it financially work.
Do you know for sure they were “paid off”, becasue that is a pretty bold statement, without knowing the process by which they went to select the site.
By the way, show me the model of what they have plannned, would love to see it, since none has been developed thus far.
I’m really surprised at some of the knee-jerk backlash over the announcement one of the best things to happen to the city in years. Even if some residents don’t care about quality of life (which doesn’t make sense), this venture, if done right, will more likely than not attract loads of higher-end economic development to the river and overall bring plenty of money into the city. SRL may not be magically recession-proof, but they’re attempting to do things that desperately need to be done around here. I’ll put as much time and money as I have (not much) into seeing that this project gets done.
Santino, I didn’t say contRacted I said CONTACTED a hockey team. You want to see what they have planned then go out to SRL’s office and see their model. This is going to turn into another Ball Park Circus, the city pays for the project then private enterprises make the money. All the right players, movers n shakers, power brokers are in place to cost tax payers millions.
With the economic conditions suffering its doubtful that this project will have any serious outside (private) financial backing but with visonaries like SRL, Mayor Furhiman, Robb Childs (IF CoC) they can unload this lemon on the public for funding.
I’m very disappointed to see some residents so against the growth of our city. Its as if they want Idaho Falls to remain stagnant and boring instead backing projects like this that will help our city grow. This project is going to jumpstart the local economy and put lil ole Idaho Falls on the map so to speak. You’re delusional if you think it’s going to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. Even if they do intend to raise taxes, which I understand isn’t supposed to happen anyway, it’s not like it’s going to seriously affect you financially. They’ll likely add a 1% hotel tax or something like that which tourists will end up paying. People like you (guest0110) will always complain about progress when in reality it’s not going to impact you one way or the other.
Good to see the positive attitude, guest. I still don’t know where you are getting that any public funds are going to be used for this, but, hey you must be in the “know.” Even if they went for an auditorium district, which instills a bed tax, only those staying in the hotel pay the tax. The community doesn’t pay a dime unless they stay at a local hotel. Have you ever been out of town and not paid a bed tax?
I for one am happy to see someone looking to better the community than stay in the dark ages and miss out on so many advantages an event center would bring both economiclly and socially.
Yepper and Gues0110, you both refer to SRL money going to SLC construciton/development companies. Curious to know where you get your information? Facts: Developer is Ball Ventures (Idaho Falls), two large office buildings by the pier: Bateman-Hall (Idaho Falls) and Steed Construction (Boise/Idaho Falls), Iggy’s building: Steed Construction (Boise/Idaho Falls), four smaller office buildings: Bateman-Hall (Idaho Falls), Hardhat Restaurant: Wind River Construction (Idaho Falls), Potandon building: Morgan Construction (Idaho Falls), Pier construction: Bateman-Hall (Idaho Falls), landscaping construction: (multi-million dollar project) Seasons West (Idaho Falls), general site work, roads, paving, etc: HK Construction (Idaho Falls), tenant improvement construction: Wind River Construction (Idaho Falls), Bateman-Hall (Idaho Falls), Tallman Construction (Idaho Falls), Voigt Construction (Idaho Falls). I believe the Teton Toyota building was also completed by an Idaho contractor. Not to mention the many smaller local sub-contractors, suppliers, architects, engineers and consultants that have fed their families and grown their businesses while completing work at SRL. I believe this is important to note because it speaks to the credibility of everything else you both claim. To everyone else, this is a good reminder not to believe everything that is said by someone who acts like they know everything.
Greetings Ameritel Hotel (guest0110). It didn’t take long for you show up. Good to see you are playing by your same old playbook. I thought you were too busy suing the CVB in Pocatello to worry to much about us in Idaho Falls.
Anyone want to predict how this thread will play out. It has already began with the first 2 rules of discrediting the event center process.
1) First and foremost: Decieve public by declaring tax payers dollars will be used to support a local private business development
2) Spread the word that this deal is a big payoff to local community leaders by claiming to have them in their back pockets and lining their wallets.
I predit in the next week or two, Ameritel will have an article in the Post Register focusing on these two principles and will add a few more to discredit those involved in the planning process. It will be fun to watch.
Well, I know Ameritel has already ticked off a lot of business owners and such in Pocatello – so if it’s true, we’ll see how that plays out here…
Comment #9 says: More than 80% of SRL is still unoccupied but yet it was selected by the CVB for the location of this event center?. Looks to me somebody got paid off.
Wouldn’t the logical course of action be to try to place something in this space while it’s unoccupied? Just wondering…
I wasn’t aware of the AmeriTel issue until I found the story on Ch.6’s website. Here’s the link if anyone is interested. http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=11879530&nav=menu546_2_2
Comment 16 made a lot more sense once I read the Ch 6 story.
That’s really messed up AmeriTel is doing this. I think everyone needs to spread the word to family and friends to boycott this hotel by not giving them their business.
This is great, its a win win for everyone. Sure it would be nice to have a local firm build it but that would mean they would have to put in a good bid wouldn’t it. Regardless Idaho Falls loses young people because its not quite a town that offers a lot for younger people or in that case anyone. I love this town its small yet big enough, people are great, but there is just not much to do in town as other places. Imagine going to concerts here in town instead of of Boise, SLC etc. Imagine trade shows, huge swap meets, concerts, sports games the list goes on and on. Lets do it.
Ok, I’m not getting it.
Regarding the AmeriTel issue. Why would a hotel/motel try to squash something that brings people into the area that may need to stay in a motel?
I’m asking because I really don’t understand what they are trying to accomplish.
Good question. I think (but I could be wrong) that Ameritel, like many larger hotel chains, have their own conference center and having the city build their own would take away buisness/events. It’s just a theory but that’s the only think I could think of that bother them enough to fiile suit.
Maybe Concerned Citizen has some more information they could share with us?
I did a little google searching and a lot comes up, but this editorial written in the Idaho State Journal may help.
http://www.pocatelloshops.com/new_blogs/community/?p=4434
The first article here has a few interesting comments from Ameritel about Idaho Falls: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5588516_ITM
http://snakeriverlanding.com/news/category/convention-center/
http://snakeriverlanding.com/news/2007/07/
I could post links on and on about Ameritel’s lawsuits all over Idaho, but you get the point. Good question above
Alice. Why is Ameritel the only Idaho hotel fighting auditorium districts and trying to obsessively control the use of hotel tax?
Hi, Alice…
Ameritel has always opposed hospitality taxation. They’re one of the few chains to do so, as most of the competition sees the profits to be made are much greater than the taxes they’ll have to pay. There was a room tax fight here in I.F. in the 90’s, and Ameritel lead it. (I can’t remember how it was resolved, if it ever was.)
The hotel owners as a group are the ones who will profit the most from a good events center in a town, especially the hotels that have restaurants in them. This is why the room tax is a common way to get initial funding going.
Good info boomer.
I know a lot of vacation destinations (Florida, California, NYC etc.) all have these types of taxes and it doesn’t hurt the business at the hotels located in these areas. People are going to take vacations, enjoy concerts, sporting events, etc. regardless.
Like you stated in your second paragraph, it’s the hotels that end up profiting in the long run and Ameritel is really cutting off their nose to spite their face. Doesn’t make sense!
Yes, thanks for the info!
And I’m with CR67, I don’t get it…
Sounds like something that could use some further digging maybe.
you know this is my concern why when “event center” is… tada Hockey rink… really… wtf is up with that dont we have one of those… might not be year round… but we got one… I think they need to release more info and put it to vote… i want to see exactly what were getting into and if its actually worth it
How could anyone see this as a bad thing? We’ve long needed quality event space in eastern Idaho and this will be a great economic boon to the area. It will foster further commercial development in SNL and increase the tax base for the area.
Things like this help jump start economic growth for communities. Hotels taxes are usually pretty minimal and won’t affect tourism on little bit.
I’ve only been inside our local ice rink once, but if I remember correctly, there was little to no observer seating (of course I wasn’t looking for it either). If we are going to use a local hockey team as one of the reasons to bring people in, then we would definitely have to have somewhere else to do it.
I’m not a sports person, more a concert person, but I’d be all for having somewhere where sports could draw paying crowds. I would hope a little imagination could bring in some interesting conventions as well.
Sounds like a full article or discussion needs to be posted on this Ameritel issue, post the names of their local managers who are leading this fight, contact them directly to ask their intentions.
Maybe they have legitimate concerns and they should be able to tell their side of the story. Maybe they are holding back our community and the community members can expose what bad neighbors they are.
But lets get a separate discussion started on that, I would like to know more facts about it.
Our local ice rink IS very small and there is very minimal seating. It’s not a facility that could be converted into any type of event center for conventions or concerts.
I look forward to this new facility going up in SNL. It will definitely be a plus for our community and our local economy. Lets just hope AmeriTel doesn’t cause any problems here the way they did in Poky.
(I like Guests’ suggestion in comment 29)
Question for all of you who want an events center in IF: If it is expected to be a profit-making enterprise, why is it not funded completely by business?
Question for cool: If you find Idaho Falls so onerous, why do you live here?
Comment to Mudpupper: There is an events center in eastern Idaho. It’s called Holt Arena.
The Holt Arena is a state funded/university run facility. it has limited capabilities and you have to adhere to university rules. I believe the IF facility will also have convention/expo space, something that is badly needed in this town, the holt doesn’t have that option. What is the benefit for idaho falls to have the holt arena. None.
As for why private business doesn’t build it? (This is another big argument by the Ameritel people) While most are profitable, the return is very small.
Hey moderators – I posted on 1/29 what shows on my computer as post #23 with a few links to news articles and sites of interest to this topic. Nothing should be questionable. To this day, it still says “your post is awaiting moderation”. This also happened in the Blake Hall threads, and still, my old comments still show this message. I wonder how many more comments are still invisible throughout the site, made by other users. I don’t care about the other threads but it would be nice to have this one be visible to others. Thanks – is anyone out there….checking this issue out?
Ask mr towelsnapper aka snapper of towels in the chatbox or email him at Idahofallstoday@gmail.com. He should be able to fix that for ya!
Correction, I meant to say they found her dead awhile later but didn’t make any arrests in the case.
Whoops, meant to put that in the chatbox!!!
“Question for cool: If you find Idaho Falls so onerous, why do you live here?”
Some people may be stuck here for reasons out of their control. Maybe the better question should be ‘If someone tries to improve Idaho Falls (such as by supporting an events center), why do the ignorant people tell them to leave?’