First Arena

[Adam 372]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Has anyone in the media asked about this? ( Hahah I know... ) I know it's been asked on social media. Has there been any answers from local officials?

i did inquire with Mr. Hyland to which i have not heard yet

reached out initially to Rodney Strange:

"I'm not sure why it isn't already on the county website. I know they were having trouble with it on Tuesday. I'll check and see when it will be posted."

 

[MsKreed 1,163]

3 minutes ago, Adam said:

i did inquire with Mr. Hyland to which i have not heard yet

reached out initially to Rodney Strange:

"I'm not sure why it isn't already on the county website. I know they were having trouble with it on Tuesday. I'll check and see when it will be posted."

 

I am interested in an explanation of activity prior to Tuesday's meeting when they voted to accept the offer. 

We know Donner referred to negotiations involving multiple communications before arriving on a final agreement “discussions, there’s texts, phone calls, weekends” ...naming least half of the IDA board members that he'd been communicating with for some unspecified period of time (that clearly pre-dated the Tuesday 11/23 meeting).

However, no prior (recorded) IDA meetings have had any mention of any proposals - not even a vague anonymous hint. The only arena discussions in any prior IDA recording (back to when Robbie left) have been surrounding obtaining quotes for demolition and/or repairs. 

[Chris 2,141]

“ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Mammoth Sports and Entertainment LLC. will pay $1 rent per year at First Arena, according to their lease agreement with Chemung County Industrial Development Agency.

The lease, obtained by 18 News on Wednesday, also states the base rent will be $1 for each subsequent year.

Tenant Mammoth Sports and Entertainment LLC. was formed on Nov. 29, six days after the lease between the IDA and tenant Steve Donner was signed. The arena was originally set to be owned by another corporation owned by Donner called Tadross Donner Sports and Entertainment LLC.”

Source

 

Why?

Why such an outright and blatant distancing from Nichols? (I mean, I have my thoughts on it, but theirs are different I’m sure.)

[KarenK 381]

38 minutes ago, Chris said:

“ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Mammoth Sports and Entertainment LLC. will pay $1 rent per year at First Arena, according to their lease agreement with Chemung County Industrial Development Agency.

The lease, obtained by 18 News on Wednesday, also states the base rent will be $1 for each subsequent year.

Tenant Mammoth Sports and Entertainment LLC. was formed on Nov. 29, six days after the lease between the IDA and tenant Steve Donner was signed. The arena was originally set to be owned by another corporation owned by Donner called Tadross Donner Sports and Entertainment LLC.”

Source

 

Why?

Why such an outright and blatant distancing from Nichols? (I mean, I have my thoughts on it, but theirs are different I’m sure.)

We don't really know who wanted that in the lease.  Could be the new lessors wanted it in to avoid meddling or trouble.  Was this particular meeting or revision of the lease for the subsidiary owner handled in a meeting that was available to the public?

[TTL News 305]

Here's the entire lease agreement for anyone who wants to go through it. 

[MsKreed 1,163]

 

16 hours ago, KarenK said:

We don't really know who wanted that in the lease.  Could be the new lessors wanted it in to avoid meddling or trouble.  Was this particular meeting or revision of the lease for the subsidiary owner handled in a meeting that was available to the public?

Nope....still no public meetings or publicly available recordings or minutes of any IDA meetings pertaining to this lease. In fact, the IDA hasn't really said anything publicly about the deal. Just introduced Donner and let him tell everyone about it. 

It would be nice to hear any official comments and references from the appointees at CCIDAS that are entrusted with the taxpayers' financial interests. 

Maybe they can shed some light on the tenant's name change.....why did Hollywood Producer Guy's name come off the LLC?  Is he still in the game?

And some clarification on this clause might quell some of the rumors and criticism that abound:

Is there some precedent in the Sports World to include that kind of language?  Or is there a specific concern? As long as the IDA appointees refuse to communicate, they are choosing to leave the topic to the local news to use for fodder to feed contentious speculation.....

And speaking of local news....I imagine the $1 headline is great for getting readers (especially Nichols worshippers) ginned up, but conveniently left the ticket sales contributions for much later in the article.  Donner was at least accurate when he said the deal was $600k minimum:

A dollar a month + six hundred thousand is well over half a million more than the $1500/yr rent Nichols contributed.

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by MsKreed

[Chris 2,141]

32 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

Is there some precedent in the Sports World to include that kind of language?  Or is there a specific concern?

Seems pretty oddly specific to me. And since I don't see the Afrs or Tom Freeman coming back to try their hand at hockey again anytime soon, it would appear to be very specifically singling out Nichols. There has to be a damned good reason for this. 

 

35 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

I imagine the $1 headline is great for getting readers (especially Nichols worshippers) ginned up,

And it's great for getting their social media account hyper active, which seems to be the focus of the "news" around here anymore. 

[KarenK 381]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Seems pretty oddly specific to me. And since I don't see the Afrs or Tom Freeman coming back to try their hand at hockey again anytime soon, it would appear to be very specifically singling out Nichols. There has to be a damned good reason for this. 

 

And it's great for getting their social media account hyper active, which seems to be the focus of the "news" around here anymore. 

I have to wonder if it's the league affiliation that was the problem rather than Nichols.  If you recall there was a lot of trouble with the new league between players getting in trouble, fights and reneging on games, changing schedules.  Just a lot of crap.  I followed the Enforcers and thought the league itself was poorly run.  Nichols is very involved in the league.  The City has never had any issues, but then again the city leadership doesn't seem to do anything at all.

I laughed about that $1 and figured it would send people over the edge.  I have to wonder if the person who wrote the story even understands how it works.

[Kevin 334]

That language could also be referring to past Jackals leadership that was questionable at best towards the end. This way they can't hire anyone from the front office or coaches.

[MsKreed 1,163]

2 hours ago, KarenK said:

I have to wonder if the person who wrote the story even understands how it works.

Clearly - no.  They struggled with even trying to count to five:

Quote

The tenants will contribute $100,000 to the capital improvement fund in their second year, $125,000 for the next three years, and $150,000 for the fifth year of the lease.

 

[Chris 2,141]

15 hours ago, KarenK said:

have to wonder if the person who wrote the story even understands how it works.

Are you kidding? These new “journalists” barely understand simple grammar and punctuation.

[Adam 372]

last update i got was that the November meeting allegedly was live-streamed but not recorded, interesting especially since the public notice was never given.

Also the lease was apparently not discussed in open session

[Chris 2,141]

Just so happens the tech wasn't working that day and no one there to make sure it worked. Pretty convenient. 

[MsKreed 1,163]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Just so happens the tech wasn't working that day and no one there to make sure it worked. Pretty convenient. 

Yes, pretty convenient.

Also questionable that no one was able to take (or upload) the minutes of either November or December meetings. 

I could understand that Live Streaming and recordings are a more recent legal requirement, but the ir website shows they've managed to be pretty thorough about making the minutes available to the public as far back as 2007. Yet, two consecutive meetings there is a sudden lapse in record keeping (on a topic with wide public interest, that where public notices were also curiously overlooked).

http://chemungcountyida.com/meeting-minutes/

 

[Ann 262]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

Just so happens the tech wasn't working that day and no one there to make sure it worked. Pretty convenient. 

Perhaps, since IT wasn’t available and no one else knew how to operate the equipment a back up of hand held recorder should be used at every meeting.  A secretary can transcribe later.  Just a suggestion.

[Hal 340]

“ from now on “ … yep that is Most encouraging almost as much as stating , until the next time ! Move along folks nothing to see here ! 

[Chris 2,141]

Sounds like hockey is coming back to Elmira yet again:

”Donner said the company has decided to bring back a professional hockey team, the Elmira Mammoth, in October 2022 as part of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Donner also said the search for a head coach will begin “immediately”. In the announcement, Donner said the Arena has already raised over $500,000 in sponsorships from local businesses and organizations.”

More at: https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/local-news/first-arena-tenants-make-major-pro-hockey-announcement/amp/

[Kevin 334]

I really don't care what happens at or with the arena, but that name is almost as bad as the Rumble Ponies from Binghamton.

[MsKreed 1,163]

8 hours ago, Kevin said:

I really don't care what happens at or with the arena, but that name is almost as bad as the Rumble Ponies from Binghamton.

I was going to say lots of sports teams these days seem to be finding names that are politically correct.  So, I guess since they're extinct, at least Mammoth isn't offensive.

I see they have Midget Wrestling planned for June.....so I guess they aren't too worried about political correctness. 

[Ann 262]

1 hour ago, MsKreed said:

I was going to say lots of sports teams these days seem to be finding names that are politically correct.  So, I guess since they're extinct, at least Mammoth isn't offensive.

I see they have Midget Wrestling planned for June.....so I guess they aren't too worried about political correctness. 

I remember watching Midget Wrestling on television with my Grandmother, she loved watching.  Good memories but nothing I would now pay to go see.

[Kevin 334]

I might pay to go see that and I am not even a wrestling fan. I am still looking forward to the tattoo convention he promised.

[MsKreed 1,163]

1 hour ago, Kevin said:

I am still looking forward to the tattoo convention he promised.

I was wondering if/when we're going to hear from the "Hollywood Movie Producer" and all the famous personalities he's going to book.

Tadross hasn't been included in any interviews or press releases.....and when the lease was published, it was a new LLC that no longer has his name (Mammoth Sports & Entertainment, LLC instead of "Tadross Donner Sports and Entertainment" as originally announced).

 

[Chris 2,141]

I've seen posts about the upcoming Brit Floyd concert at the Arena at the end of July and didn't think too much of it. Ya know, another tribute band.... *yawn*. Then I started seeing posts about how great they are and how excited people are to attend the show. Then tonight they're on WSKG and holy crap are they good. If I were only hearing them, I wouldn't know it wasn't Pink Floyd. 

The crowds they draw, including at Red Rocks? And they're coming to Elmira?!?!

This is a big deal for concerts at First Arena and I hope they can continue to draw this calibre of artists downtown. I don't think the arena ever reached its full potential as a concert venue. 

In the meantime, see if you can track them down on WSKG. Or see them on Youtube ( and you can find the complete show there as well ):

 

[Chris 2,141]

There has been a lot of great news coming out down there on Main Street this week. Including a new coach.

[Kevin 334]

I keep checking on the tattoo convention the new owner promised.