By Jerry Haferkamp
“Thanks” to all the folks who patronized the SCW Marching Warriors Band barbeque last week. It was a great success and helped finance their activities including the scheduled trip to the Gator Bowl over New Years next winter. The 9th annual Saint Charles West Warrior Band Golf Tournament will be Sunday, May 1st at Mid Rivers Golf Links. We need players, prizes and hole sponsors. Call Joan DeSplinter at 636-947-3620 for information. Time’s short. Do it now!
I hope all our readers got out to the preview of the new Convention Center. I think everyone there was “wowed” by what has to be the most beautiful building in St. Charles. The murals are fantastic. The grand ballroom can be used as one great room, or can be divided into several smaller rooms with the use of hidden room dividers.
The one disappointing exhibit was the electronic screen that told of upcoming events. While they were informative, there was cause for concern. Every event booked was of a nature that would bring local residents to the Center. These events put no one into our motels, restaurants or our businesses. Wasn’t the purpose of this spending of your taxes supposed to bring money into our city? The only revenue our city will see is if you attend these events and go out to dinner in the process. Some of these events were previously held at such prestigious locations as the Belz Outlet Mall. Others are the type that would have used the Family Arena, so we are taking events from the Arena to make the Center look good.
You would have thought that since the chosen few hundred VIP’S (Very Important Pattifriends) were served Champaign and food on their visit Thursday, the peasants (the ones underwriting these events) who attended Saturday could have at least been served an ounce or two of cola or coffee and the leftover crumbs from the food. Since the guests on Saturday weren’t considered to be Very Important People, we found our place with the Convention and Sports Authority board. We just aren’t very important.
If the center is to succeed, all of you not Very Important People need to get organizations in which you have membership interested in using our Center when they have events suited to this facility. With Mr. Powell utilizing his distinctive skills, Global Spectrum’s management will need all the help they can get. Everyone needs to pitch in. When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade. We’ve got the lemon. (A beautiful lemon, but still a lemon) Now, all of us need to get to work.
How long will it be before Joe Oertwerth gets to decide who uses the Convention Center?
Our next meeting is still on hold pending release of the Auditor’s report.
Has Steve Powell been fired yet? Why not?
