Memorial Coliseum

by The Trash Heap

When the 13th Court of Appeals issued its opinion on May 6, 2010 overturning the temporary injunction that the Friends of the Coliseum had gotten to prevent the City's demolition of the Memorial Coliseum, literally the last words in the opinion told the Friends how to get their wish, anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skD0Ltz3SdM

City faces contempt charges for coliseum demo
Judge Jame Klager today clarified to the City's attorney, Carlos Valdez, the meaning of the decision of 13th court of appeals. You cant tear it down until the appeals have been exhausted. Klager explained to Valdez the meaning of decision that said overruled the Judge's original grounds for his decision and remanded back to the deciding court (Klager's) for additional information.

Caller omitted information, City Legal dragged feet to provide records

While Friends of the Coliseum was busy filing suit in Travis County to stop the demolition of the Coliseum, the Johnny Canales Chapter of the GI Forum filed for a temporary restraining order to do the same in Nueces County for different reasons. They allege in their suit what We the People News and GI Forum Attorney Les Cassidy believe is evidence of illegal participation by Mayor Joe Adame in Coliseum decision making.

Veterans Pavilion may be included in Destination Bayfront: Price $35-40 million.

Thursday, April 15, 2010, the Johnny Canales Chapter of the GI Forum called an emergency meeting. When members arrived a number of non members were in the room. David Loeb and Trey McCampbell were there to present the Destination Bayfront concept. George Clower had been invited but didn’t know why. Most surprising, Rudy Garza the City’s lobbyist and City Manager Angel Escobar were there with lobbyist Hugo Berlanga.

GI Forum Members file after being shut out of negotiations by leadership.

A criminal complaint was filed Friday with the Corpus Christi Police Department against Mayor Joe Adame for failure to file a correct disclosure form and not fully disclosing a conflict of interest regarding the Coliseum. The charges could result in a finding of guilt on multiple Class A Misdemeanors, each punishable by up to $4,000 fine and one year in jail for each offense.

Valdez nearly cited for contempt in Coliseum case.

New City Attorney Carlos Valdez smiled confidently as he brushed past three news camera’s who were stationed outside Judge James Klager’s Nueces County Court-at-Law No. 4 on Monday, April 7. He was ready to plead his first case as the City’s new attorney to allow demolition of Memorial Coliseum. A couple of hours later he was much more subdued as he brushed by with a no comment after not only losing, but being threatened with contempt for his behavior in the courtroom.

City denies having copy of Jimmy Bray Legal Opinion until Nov. 16, 2009, Yet Caller Quotes it on Nov. 10 and says City received it between Nov. 2-6

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.