27
Apr
2004
While I typically look forward to the Reader, last week's "Champagne Appetite with a Beer Purse" was a mean cut at an easy toss that missed by a mile. John O' Donnell's re-opening is a home run for Davenport. It resolves years of fruitless debate, gives the grand ol' park a new lease on life, and continues Davenport's momentum. Let's check the renovation lineup.
Leading off, big-league-affiliated baseball remains in the Quad Cities. The stadium now meets contemporary standards, and threats to leave for a quality venue in another market won't be heard again. In fact, the lease guards against such maneuvers; the team is obligated to stay, and the city has the right of first refusal if ownership changes.
Batting second, the facility is flood-protected. While there are no sure things when Mother Nature takes the field, with $1.5 million dedicated to flood protection, images of a flooded JOD beamed all over the world should be replaced by images of a city holding its own when the river rises next.
Up third, the renovation retains the historic charm of the landmark structure. The fourth oldest active ballpark in America, JOD is a shrine to classic architecture, and the renovation respectfully preserved the WPA-era façade.
In the clean-up spot, with power to spare, the renovation is built around fan- and family-friendly features necessary for successful business operation. The unbuilt plan referenced in the editorial was no bargain at all; it took little advantage of the spectacular setting and didn't position the investment appropriately in a competitive entertainment market. Through collaborative effort, with the team sharing in the design costs, business prowess is incorporated into the new plans. Waiting in a tunnel for a hotdog or queuing up for a subterranean restroom is as much a part of JOD's past as the editorial's seemingly fond memories of dysfunctional "open animosity." There's no crying in baseball, and no need for animosity either.
Next up, the stadium has been designed for more than just baseball. The renovation makes possible everything from year-round, indoor business and social gatherings to summertime concerts and other community events.
Batting sixth, the renovation is jaw-droppingly beautiful, evident of the standard of quality for resurgent Davenport. The Mississippi glistening, the sun setting, the Centennial Bridge lights twinkling, the downtown Davenport skyline taking shape ... take your pick from innumerable vantage points; Davenport's ascent is confidently on display. Take in a weekday afternoon game, and you might even find the kinetic ballet of steel and glass rising downtown a bit distracting from the quiet poetry of our national pastime.
In the seventh slot, the renovation represents nearly $14 million of urban re-investment, extending River Renaissance westward and anchoring future re-investment now being planned through the RiverVision public meetings. Urban ballparks have sparked many a downtown across the country, and JOD will do likewise. Minor-league attendance continues on the upswing, and esteemed baseball operators are trying to build new stadiums in markets not even half the size of the Quad Cities. Iowa State Economics Professor Dave Swenson analyzed the economic impact of the JOD renovation and estimated $3.6 million in total regional economic output of the old stadium would increase to $5.6 million annually following renovation. This conservative projection was based on just 140,000 annual visitors. Similar sized venues and markets see 200,000-plus fans a year, and the Swing should do as well or better.
"Eighth on the scorecard, first in your hearts" is the exceptional social-capital value of JOD. Great ballparks are delightfully democratizing places, and the renovated JOD will be one of the best. Yes, there are skyboxes - paid for in their entirety by Seventh Inning Stretch with annual lease payments of approximately $150,000 in addition to the annual payment reported in the editorial of $102,000 a year. A negative focus on the skyboxes (an improvement paid for by the team which the city will own at the end of the lease along with the rest of the stadium it has owned for 73 years) is misguided. The new JOD will be a veritable blender of Quad Citians. In addition to skyboxes, there are lower price points including club seats, box seats, general admission seats, an outfield grass berm, picnic plazas and even a kids' play area. To tie the stadium and people visiting it together, a continuous 360-degree concourse is included. For every business deal discussed in a skybox, there will be hundreds of acquaintances made and friendships formed as the JOD crowd mingles during a ballgame, concert, or other event. I invite the Reader editor and every Quad Citian to stop by, and set the blender for "smooth."
Last but certainly not least, the City of Davenport leveraged substantial contributions to more than double its $6.5 million investment in the project. A state grant of $1.25 million was secured, the RDA and SCRA contributed $200,000 each to the renovation, and Scott County pitched in $400,000. The remaining funding is the responsibility of Seventh Inning Stretch. During lease negotiations, the city secured advantages at every substantive negotiating point, bringing the starting value of the lease to the city from $3.2 million as initially presented by Seventh Inning Stretch to a projected value in excess of $8 million.
The city is paying for less than half the renovation cost for a facility it owns. This is decidedly on the shrewd end of the scale in comparison to similar publicly owned sports venues and a win by any reasonable measure.
Without dwelling on every error of the editorial (even Hall of Famers commit errors), I hope I've covered the bases for Reader readers pondering the great champagne/beer divide. Next time, I'd recommend a nice, level swing, one that doesn't hack away at private investment or suggest Davenport bunt its way to first rather than blast one over the fence, into the Mississippi.
As for champagne or beer, I'll drink lemonade on opening night. John O'Donnell will be intoxicating enough.
Craig Malin is city administrator for the City of Davenport.
Leading off, big-league-affiliated baseball remains in the Quad Cities. The stadium now meets contemporary standards, and threats to leave for a quality venue in another market won't be heard again. In fact, the lease guards against such maneuvers; the team is obligated to stay, and the city has the right of first refusal if ownership changes.
Batting second, the facility is flood-protected. While there are no sure things when Mother Nature takes the field, with $1.5 million dedicated to flood protection, images of a flooded JOD beamed all over the world should be replaced by images of a city holding its own when the river rises next.
Up third, the renovation retains the historic charm of the landmark structure. The fourth oldest active ballpark in America, JOD is a shrine to classic architecture, and the renovation respectfully preserved the WPA-era façade.
In the clean-up spot, with power to spare, the renovation is built around fan- and family-friendly features necessary for successful business operation. The unbuilt plan referenced in the editorial was no bargain at all; it took little advantage of the spectacular setting and didn't position the investment appropriately in a competitive entertainment market. Through collaborative effort, with the team sharing in the design costs, business prowess is incorporated into the new plans. Waiting in a tunnel for a hotdog or queuing up for a subterranean restroom is as much a part of JOD's past as the editorial's seemingly fond memories of dysfunctional "open animosity." There's no crying in baseball, and no need for animosity either.
Next up, the stadium has been designed for more than just baseball. The renovation makes possible everything from year-round, indoor business and social gatherings to summertime concerts and other community events.
Batting sixth, the renovation is jaw-droppingly beautiful, evident of the standard of quality for resurgent Davenport. The Mississippi glistening, the sun setting, the Centennial Bridge lights twinkling, the downtown Davenport skyline taking shape ... take your pick from innumerable vantage points; Davenport's ascent is confidently on display. Take in a weekday afternoon game, and you might even find the kinetic ballet of steel and glass rising downtown a bit distracting from the quiet poetry of our national pastime.
In the seventh slot, the renovation represents nearly $14 million of urban re-investment, extending River Renaissance westward and anchoring future re-investment now being planned through the RiverVision public meetings. Urban ballparks have sparked many a downtown across the country, and JOD will do likewise. Minor-league attendance continues on the upswing, and esteemed baseball operators are trying to build new stadiums in markets not even half the size of the Quad Cities. Iowa State Economics Professor Dave Swenson analyzed the economic impact of the JOD renovation and estimated $3.6 million in total regional economic output of the old stadium would increase to $5.6 million annually following renovation. This conservative projection was based on just 140,000 annual visitors. Similar sized venues and markets see 200,000-plus fans a year, and the Swing should do as well or better.
"Eighth on the scorecard, first in your hearts" is the exceptional social-capital value of JOD. Great ballparks are delightfully democratizing places, and the renovated JOD will be one of the best. Yes, there are skyboxes - paid for in their entirety by Seventh Inning Stretch with annual lease payments of approximately $150,000 in addition to the annual payment reported in the editorial of $102,000 a year. A negative focus on the skyboxes (an improvement paid for by the team which the city will own at the end of the lease along with the rest of the stadium it has owned for 73 years) is misguided. The new JOD will be a veritable blender of Quad Citians. In addition to skyboxes, there are lower price points including club seats, box seats, general admission seats, an outfield grass berm, picnic plazas and even a kids' play area. To tie the stadium and people visiting it together, a continuous 360-degree concourse is included. For every business deal discussed in a skybox, there will be hundreds of acquaintances made and friendships formed as the JOD crowd mingles during a ballgame, concert, or other event. I invite the Reader editor and every Quad Citian to stop by, and set the blender for "smooth."
Last but certainly not least, the City of Davenport leveraged substantial contributions to more than double its $6.5 million investment in the project. A state grant of $1.25 million was secured, the RDA and SCRA contributed $200,000 each to the renovation, and Scott County pitched in $400,000. The remaining funding is the responsibility of Seventh Inning Stretch. During lease negotiations, the city secured advantages at every substantive negotiating point, bringing the starting value of the lease to the city from $3.2 million as initially presented by Seventh Inning Stretch to a projected value in excess of $8 million.
The city is paying for less than half the renovation cost for a facility it owns. This is decidedly on the shrewd end of the scale in comparison to similar publicly owned sports venues and a win by any reasonable measure.
Without dwelling on every error of the editorial (even Hall of Famers commit errors), I hope I've covered the bases for Reader readers pondering the great champagne/beer divide. Next time, I'd recommend a nice, level swing, one that doesn't hack away at private investment or suggest Davenport bunt its way to first rather than blast one over the fence, into the Mississippi.
As for champagne or beer, I'll drink lemonade on opening night. John O'Donnell will be intoxicating enough.
Craig Malin is city administrator for the City of Davenport.
