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 Loraine
LaRock,
CCPD Field Training Officer
"More "Do unto others..." would help defray a lot of frustration for people: a
garbage collector who doesn"t throw your can in the street, or a driver trying
to avoid the gutter water that soils pedestrians, mosquito spray in all neighborhoods
- even a shaded bus stop to help with the heat. A lot of little things build frustration
and lead into bigger problems."
 Ann-Michele
Morales,
artist
"Revitalization of downtown is essential. By making its real estate and rental
fees more affordable, the potential for culturally creative venues would increase,
such as a repertoire film theater, coffee/cyber bars, boutiques and galleries."
 Dominic
Mondragon,
CEO, Equal Eyez Entertainment
"Dropping property taxes or waiving or lowering rent fees would help incoming
businesses. ... It doesn"t seem like the city and the community are getting together
to lower rents for startups to come in."
 Cinda
LeBus,
education coordinator, Planned Parenthood of South Texas
"... I strongly believe we need to offer an alternative for students who are not
on the college track. A sixth high school with a broad technical/vocational program
would offer a whole new level of opportunities for more children. And our local
businesses should invest in our schools (and our children) by offering apprenticeships
and training programs."
 Annette
Villalobos,
South Texas Youth Development Council director, Kingsville
"We see a lot of parents who are not involved in the lives of their children."
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Four development plans are changing the face of downtown
City, Landry’s seek common ground; arena books events
February 1, 2003
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times
Steel has yet to be erected for the city’s new 10,000-seat downtown arena, but already the vision of a reshaped Corpus Christi has taken hold.
"There’s a big development boom that’s happening right now," City Manager David
Garcia said. "Sometimes I tell people they’re not going to recognize downtown
soon, and that’s what scares them. They like the city as it is, but I think most
people want to see progress."
The look of downtown and the port area is poised to change dramatically in the next two years. Along with the new arena, plans call for an expansion of the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center and the construction of a minor league baseball stadium beneath the Harbor Bridge.
Garcia said the city is also close to finalizing a lease agreement with Landry’s Restaurants Inc. that would allow the chain to begin its overhaul of the marina.
Ron Kitchens, president and chief executive officer of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corp., said the nation’s economic condition should allow for even more growth.
"The city is in a position to drive itself," Kitchens said. "Based on what we’re seeing nationally, things are going to remain stagnant. That’s a great opportunity for us to gain the ground we lost in the ’90s. If you’re not in front of the pack, it’s easy to get caught and passed by.
"Now is not the time to let up. This is the time you work extra hard."
Arena a focal point
Of the four major public projects, Garcia said, the arena has become the focal point. To be built adjacent to the convention center, it is being billed as a multi-use venue able to host a variety of events, including basketball, hockey, wrestling and concerts.
Wayne Bennett, president of the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the lack of a building hasn’t prevented his organization from beginning to book the new facility.
Among the first of the arena’s prospective users is expected to be the American Spirit Championships, a cheerleading competition that currently brings in as many as 10,000 people to the city. ASC participants use the convention center, Selena Auditorium and several of the meeting rooms at the two downtown Omni hotels during the three-day event, which last year sold out the majority of hotel rooms within 45 miles of Corpus Christi.
Bennett said the new arena has the ability to lure many more large events.
"Corpus Christi is starting to create an awareness," Bennett said. "The new arena is allowing us to look at things we couldn’t in the past. Some conventions that require large accommodations, we’d have to pass on the bidding. This opens up a whole new world for us."
City staff is at present brokering leases, advertising contracts, management agreements and the naming rights to the arena, Garcia said.
"All that stuff is churning," he said. "Pretty soon this will be happening on all of the facilities."
Including the marina.
Selling the community
In August, Landry’s halted negotiations with the city to await the outcome of a citywide referendum on whether to require voter approval of marina leases longer than five years. A group called Plan Our Waterfront collected enough signatures to put the referendum on the November ballot. It was voted down.
Talks resumed following the defeat of the proposal, and Garcia said recent meetings have brought the two sides close to an agreement.
Bennett, Garcia and Kitchens all expect the projects to generate excitement while they’re under way.
"It’s human nature to get excited when we see new construction," Kitchens said. "I can’t wait until the day I see steel in the air. The fact of the matter is we are already booking events. We have to sell this community."
Contact Javier Becerra at 886-3734 or becerraj@caller.com |
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