Baseball Stadium, citizens "no"Page 1 of 3
Juanita Hilkin
From: Russell, Cathy [Cathy_Russell@mcgraw-hill.corn]
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 9:42 AM
To: Dubuque City Manager
Subject: RE: baseball in Dubuque
Thanks for the information, t2 don't think many people realize that the Dubuque
Pock site is not for sole now or when Wal Mort was looking at it. Hopefully they
are still paying their property tax! I think the baseball stadium will be a great
addition to the Port of Dubuque. We went to a St. Paul Saints game this summer
and it was o lot of fun. Keep up the good work! cr
.... Original Message .....
From: Dubuque City Manager [mailto:ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org]
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 4:23 PM
To: Russell, Cathy
Subject: RE: baseball in Dubuque
Dear Ms. Russell,
Thank you for your input on the new ball park and your suggestion that it be built at the
former Dubuque Pack site.
One major problem with the Smithfield site is they have advised that it is no longer for
sale. They are purchasing the assets of Farmland Foods and are not willing to sell this
property matil they analyze their capacity needs. Apparently this could take quite some
time. Acquisition and demolition of this site, if it was available, could cost $7 to $10
million more than the Port of Dubuque site. It also would add significantly to the time to
complete this project.
Secondly, the owner of the ball team and the Feasibility Consultant believe that the ball
park must be an integral part of downtown to be financially successful. They advise this
is a national trend, and ball parks not in downtown struggle.
In addition, the Port of Dubuque is a vacant site owned by the City and Dubuque
Initiatives, who have agreed to make it available. This will save a significant amount of
time and money. Time is important here because now that the owner of the team has
announced he is leaving Battle Creek, Michigan, he says he will be losing $500,000 a
year while he plays there. He will be playing in Battle Creek in 2004, but site
acquisition and demolition for an alternate site could add one of two years to that
schedule.
Finally, this is a perfectly compatible use with downtown and the Port of Dubuque. It
will cause some visitors to stay another night in the hotels and people who visit the
museum and the water park will have an activity to do in the evening. Also,
conventioneers will enjoy the ball games and be more inclined to hold their meetings in
Dubuque. There also is a great synergy with the 1,900 parking spaces available in the
11/10/2003
Page 2 of 3
downtown in existing parking garages and on the street, all within three blocks. This
will save millions of dollars in cost to build parking and increases revenues to the City
parking system. The rubber-wheeled trolley system that will start in 2004 also can serve
all these entea-tainment v~aues at no extra cost.
The baseball stadium is the highest and best use of this Port of Dubuque site and will be
a catalyst for further riverfront and downtown development, with 175,000 more people
visiting this area each year, shopping and eating in restaurants.
If you would like to discuss this further, please give me a call at 589-4110.
Michael C. Van Milligen
Dubuque City Manager's Office
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
563-589-41 10 - Telephone
563-589-4149 ~ FAX
..... Original Message ....
From: Russell, Cathy [mailto:Cathy_Russell@mcgraw-hill.com]
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 1::18 PM
To: rbuoll@mchsi.com; aeml0@mchsi.com; danielenicholson@mchsi.com;
jmarkham@cornerenergy.com; jconnors63@mchsi.comj patriciacline@mchsi.corn;
jschneid@cib/ofdubuque.org; ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
Subject: baseball in Dubuque
I know everyone thinks the best place for the new baseball
stadium would be in the Port of Dubuque, but have other sites
been considered? T think a good place would be the old pack
facility. It's a huge space and it would clean up an incredible
eyesore. It would also revitalize an area in desperate need of
revitalizing. Then the Port of Dubuque would have more space
for restaurants, shops and that sort of thing. Just sending
you one citizen's opinion. Thanks for all your hard work.
Cathy S. Russell
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Account Management - Projects Team
2460 Kerper Blvd.
Dubuque, IA 52001
800-553-4920 Ext. 2579
11/10/2003
Page 3 of 3
FREEDOM.....appreciate it.....cherish it.....protect it.
11/10/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From:
To:
Sent:
Subject:
<Gdwdbq~aol.com>
<jschneid@cityofd ubuq ue.org>
Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:02 PM
VOTE "NO" to the bond issue!
Dear Council Members:
Hers are a few reasons, I believe that a bond issue should not be held:
1. The citizens of Dubuque are already paying 1% more in state taxes with the school
bond issue. Garbage and water rates are up, property taxes went up this year, mainly
due to the school system and Iowa's budget crunch. The city council has already stated
that next years taxes will be increasing, and now you ars considering another new bond
issue. Think about the elderly people on f'~ed incomes who's medical bills are hard to
moat, let alone their health insurance.
2. If the city is as broke as you have stated, where will this money come from If this
special election were to be held?
3. The city manager likes to compare cities....let's take Cedar Rapids. The baseball
team has bean there for a long time, to help to increase the attendance this year, they
built a new ball park, did it live up to expectations? Answer: No.
4. In the mid 70's, Dubuque had a population of 5000 more people than it has now, did it
support the "Dubuque Packers"?
Answer: No. As far as drawing people to Dubuque with a new ballpark, how many
people can you name, who ever saw one Packer game away from home? Has the junior
hockey team drawn in Dubuque? Have I soan a hockey game? No, why, because I am
not interested in hockey. The same principle would hold true for a minor league
baseball park.
5. Does Mr. Gartner have a conflict of interest?. I cannot answer that, however my
thoughts are: Mr. Gartner is the owner of the franchise of the team in question and
chairman of the Iowa vision board. Mr. Gartner has very little to loose but the tax
payers money, which would be $6 million dollars.
6. You granted the owner of the new housing project at the lock and damn a permit, I
assume it was because it wouldn't cost the Dubuque tax payers any money. Why not
use this same principle in deciding If a bond issue should be held. Where the tax
payers here would be paying for the brunt of this projoa~
7. The two Dubuque casinos were hurting before Mesquawki closed. After it closed,
they picked up revenu~ What will happen when it reopens, and Cedar Rapids and
Waterloo get a gaming license? You can draw your own picture as to what will happen
to Dubuque's economic and tourism monies when one, two, or all three of these venues
open.
8. The Riverfront project is not finished ye~ Why not wait two years to soa if it moats
the projections, before putting up another issue of "if" on it?.
9. To put it simply, if "Mr. X" came to the council saying he would put up an amusement
park, open about 70 days per year w~th hours about 3-5 daily, sometimes daytime hours,
and sometimes night hours, some woaks not at all, but the property owners would have
to pay this cost. Would you as a citizen buy this offer?.
Thankyou
G. Weinberg
Dubuque
10/30/2003
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
From: "Mary Burdt" <gmnniesfavodt@webtv. net>
To: <jsch neid@cityofdubuque.org>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 4:34 PM
Subject: New ball park
Dear Mayor Duggan, Thank you for all the good work you have done for
the city of Dubuque and it's citizens. My husband James and I wish to
register a no vote for the new ball park. As seniors we c~annot afford
anymore fees or taxes. It is a struggle just to keep up with the ones
we have. Please rc~nember us when you cast your vote for the ball park.
Mary
11/4/2003
rage i vi i
Jeanne Schneider
From: "John Barbee" <JBarbee@Kendallhunt.com>
To: <ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org>; <jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>; <jmarkham@cornerenergy.com>;
<aem10@mchsi.com>; <danielenicholson@mchsi.com>; <jconnors63@mchsi.com>;
<patriciacline@mchsi.com>; <rbuoll @mchsi.com>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 10:14 AM
Subject: Baseball Stadium Bond
Dear City Council,
I'm sick and tired of the endless parade of do-gooders, politicians,
interest groups, and outright parasites wanting my money for their pet
projects. If Mr. Gartner wants to build himself a stadium, make him use
his own money for it.
I'm curious. Why did you push this issue through so fast with so
little time until the vote. Afraid of a deliberate debate on the issue?
Afraid of disappointing an individual that has steered millions into
Dubuque? Afraid of risking future money?
If you want the stadium as well, donate your own money. Don't take
away mine.
John Barbee
2790 Andrew Court
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 582-2894
11/17/2003