Memorial Coliseum

Mayor gets percentage of downtown Whataburger profits, no Bray opinion issued. Texas Historic Commission certifies Coliseum as elgible for National Historic Register, Council and Staff keep secret since Jan 7.

There was little surprise as the City Council voted 7-2 to tear down the Coliseum on Tuesday given the powers at work behind the scene. Council members sought to compare the cost of a finished open air pavilion for $3.2 million proposed by architect George Clower, with an empty lot for $1.2 million, saying the later was cheaper. They voted to borrow up to $2 million in certificates of obligation to tear down the facility and create a grassy field. Their budget includes no future capital improvements or maintenance costs.

Caller Times fails to report lower bids for creating an open air pavilion.
Analysis

The management of the decision making process for the future of the Coliseum and the land around it, for better or worse has become the symbol of Corpus Christi City Government. There was a fairly straight line of planning development of the public park land and the buildings like the Coliseum that sat on them until the American Bank Center was built.

Council still dodges park issue.
The City Council and the National Swim Center Corporation seemed to be going through the motions of patting each other on the back and working towards a deal, even though confidential sources from City staff say the deal is dead. Ignoring the lack of resolution on whether the area is a park or not, Council has plunged ahead with more negotiations. Even if those negotiations could bring an agreement, the City probably couldn’t legally execute their end without a protracted (years long) legal fight with community groups who have vowed to oppose any attempt to place development on what they consider a public park.

This is the information WtP attempted to present to the City Council. Mayor Adame did not allow any information to be presented after item 3).

Restored Adame rebuffed
Even with Mayor Joe Adame back at the helm, Council was unable to bring to the Coliseum issue to a promised conclusion. Over three hours of public comment and chaotic Council discussion resulted in a tear it down, maybe not resolution.

Editorial
A whole Council elected on a “Pro Growth” platform is now on the horns of their own dilemma.

Chesney and Leal push for Community Fight.
Grow Corpus Christi organizer Diane Metz announced on her Grow CC facebook page that Priscilla Leal has agreed to place the Brass deal back on Tuesday's City Council Agenda. Whether she can actually do that is another question.

The history of the location, the City's master plan, state law, the city charter all point to one direction acknowledged by Mayor Joe Adame, on Jim Lago's radio show, the whole area is a park. That means the Brass deal is dead, dead, dead. John Bell if not outright proven wrong by We the People set the stage for anyone who wants to to file a lawsuit or start a petition drive to prove it if necessary.

Self appointed spokesperson for Grow Corpus, Diane LaMorte Metz held a news conference where she and 29 other supporters expressed their support for the Brass Real Estate deal killed by the Council last week. While she refused several requests for an interview before WtP had to leave, City Councilman and Ice Rayz part owner Brent Chesney was there cheering the effort, wearing a green growcorpus t-shirt and commented that he still supports the deal.