First Arena

[KarenK 384]

3 hours ago, MsKreed said:

Wow. I can't find it.........I wasn't aware he had an active Legislator FB page.  Like many of them, I only see the "campaign" page get busy during election years.

Even if he’s using slick, manipulative language like no taxes are being used for directly “operating the Arena”....then it’s twisting facts to give a false perception.

The ongoing Room Tax contributions have never been explained in anything more than vague “everyone benefits because the Arena brings visitors to the area”.  No specific, measurable metric to ever show a payoff for the “investment”. Ten years down, 15 to go. 

And the ARP funds were earmarked for specific equipment, repairs and replacements, etc.  All of which they argued were/are necessary for the Arena to operate. Period.

It was a press conference today.  Can be found on all the news sites

[TTL News 318]

The following was sent from Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss to IDA Executive Director Joe Roman:

[KarenK 384]

Not that I disagree with his message, I do question whether he has absolute authority to stop or decline payments that I assume were previously approved by the legislator? 

The IDA requested the audit so they already knew their were issues and they wanted to figure out how to resolve.  An audit was the perfect start.  The executive seems to imply credit for everything no matter where it generated.

Again, I support the message just not the messenger.  lol

 

[MsKreed 1,204]

100% agree with @KarenK

I've no doubt that Moss has the authority to request the NYS Budget Office do an assessment, and it seems appropriate to do so.

The entire turn of events the last few years of owning/operating the Arena as tax-payer-owned property is questionable, and deserves scrutiny to ensure no one is wasting (or misusing) County resources.

The CCCR/IDA remitting payments "on behalf of" Donner/Mammoth needs investigating. As well as someone explaining what, if any, money was deposited in the "$625k/yr" fund that Donner's contract required (and an accounting of where every penny went). If nothing was deposited, the CCR/IDA oversight was an inexcusable failure that needs to be addressed. 

 

However, if a State assessment finds deeper issues than the independently commissioned audit did, then the appropriate legal processes are the answer - not the Exec acting as judge/jury and preemptively deciding the outcome by withholding money that was lawfully approved by the Legislature. 

That seems clearly outside the Executive's scope of authority.  

[Adam 378]

4 hours ago, MsKreed said:

However, if a State assessment finds deeper issues than the independently commissioned audit did, then the appropriate legal processes are the answer

along with the immediate and unconditional resignation of current IDA board/Chair

[KarenK 384]

3 minutes ago, Adam said:

along with the immediate and unconditional resignation of current IDA board/Chair

personally it's really all a pissin match between Moss and the IDA chair due to ummm differences of opinion dating back years.

[Adam 378]

22 hours ago, KarenK said:

personally it's really all a pissin match between Moss and the IDA chair due to ummm differences of opinion dating back years.

Moss is no Saint by any metrics but the IDA has been screwing the pooch for years now in regards to the Arena, Margeson has picked up right where his predecessor left off....dont get me started on Roman either. fact of the matter is; the arena, in its current stages, is a millstone nothing more. for years now the pipe-dream of success as well as the recurrent promises of "tomorrow will be better" is played out; weive had and funded 20+ years of tomorrows and no better than at the beginning.

[Chris 2,225]

Okay, I know I’ve had a couple beers this evening, only a couple, and certainly not enough to make me hallucinate.

But why else would I be seeing reports of “exciting news” that Elmira is getting another new hockey team? And we’re supposed to believe that this is the solution, and this is what’s going to turn Elmira into a “hockey town” after almost 25 years?

Surely the CCIDA has heard the quote: 

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

That quote is attributed to Albert Einstein but is said to have actually originated with Narcotics Anonymous in 1980. 

So are we to presume that either someone is insane or on drugs to keep doing this same thing, over and over, that has yet to work??

[Hal 343]

Basically from what I glean from the local News media the CCIDA dropped down to a lower level in the Hockey Conference, with that comes a lower price tag to try making the First Boondoggle self sustaining. Margeson offered that the “New team “ would not draw salaries would be a boon to the community in the form of helping with give backs … so , they are playing for free ? Just how does that work , someone please explain to this old farm boy just how this form of BS works , i mean other than what i’m smelling with this fresh batch . 

[KarenK 384]

7 hours ago, Hal said:

Basically from what I glean from the local News media the CCIDA dropped down to a lower level in the Hockey Conference, with that comes a lower price tag to try making the First Boondoggle self sustaining. Margeson offered that the “New team “ would not draw salaries would be a boon to the community in the form of helping with give backs … so , they are playing for free ? Just how does that work , someone please explain to this old farm boy just how this form of BS works , i mean other than what i’m smelling with this fresh batch . 

It's USA Junior Hockey.  I think the kids pay to play.

[Hal 343]

3 hours ago, KarenK said:

It's USA Junior Hockey.  I think the kids pay to play.

Thanks Karen . They are making it sound like a part of NAHL though . According to the info from NAHL , players do not pay to play . But on further reading , yes they are basically kids 16 up to 20 sometihing trying to work their way up through the Conferences . 

[Chris 2,225]

They can repackage and try to sell this as many times as they want. But the fact remains, this is not a "hockey town" and won't be. Quit trying to cram it down our throats. 

[KarenK 384]

It's NAHL, just one of the only sanctioned Jr Leagues in the USA Hockey.