I saw the below article in today's Chattanoogan.
What is going on with Finley Stadium, and why haven't they booked Phish to play there? Or a monster truck show? Or ANYTHING?
Look, if UTC football never lost a game for ten years, they would STILL never sell out the stadium. UTK can win ONE game in a season, and still draw a 100,000 fans. So, the original intent that this stadium would be used primarily for UTC football games had to have been seen as a money-loser from the start. UTC football does NOT draw fans. I think more people went to watch the Mocs play when they were on Chamberlain field, anyway. Now, the city leaders can get all up in Bill Stacy's face, but they should have known this was a losing proposition going in.
It's a nice facility, and in order to make it profitable, it simply needs to be used more often. Stop being so damn elitist, Chattanooga! Use the thing! It would further help the Southside revitalization, and nearby areas like the getting-cooler-by-the-day St. Elmo.
from the Chattanoogan:
County Mayor Claude Ramsey said this is the last year the county plans to keep sinking money into deficit-ridden Finley Stadium.
"I have looked UTC Chancellor Bill Stacy in the eye and told him this is the last year," Mr. Ramsey said Thursday.
The County Commission is expected next Wednesday to again vote to put $250,000 of hotel-motel room tax funds toward the Finley Stadium deficit.
Mr. Ramsey said using that source is "taking tourism money and using it to subsidize the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga."
He said the stadium in South Chattanooga "was built primarily for UTC football."
He said certain debt has been paid down on the stadium and, after this year, "UTC should be able to operate it themselves."
The stadium initially was under a stadium board. The Trade Center staff has been managing it the past few years. It has managed to trim some costs, but it still runs a substantial deficit.
County Commissioner William Cotton said the county should consider selling it.
"I have only seen it full two times. How long are we going to continue to carry it?" he said.
He suggested that the county try to sell it to a private developer "to see if he can find a way to fill it up."
Mr. Ramsey said he did not know whether the county would be able to find a buyer for it.
Posted by colrus at September 12, 2003 11:58 AM | TrackBackVery Very true. They need to bust that stadium wide open for the community.
And boy, is St. Elmo ever getting cooler by the day. Mesh just moved here a couple days ago. And The Safari Pub, well, you can't beat 2 dollar domestics.
Posted by: JosiahQ at September 12, 2003 01:00 PMMOJO BURRITO. I have an addiction.
Posted by: bill colrus at September 12, 2003 01:52 PMya, I love mojo, although it pisses me off that they stole my idea. I wanted to name a burrito place in St. Elmo "MoJo" because that's my nickname from a couple friends, and I had always remarked there were no decent burrito places in town (in Cali where I'm from there's one on every corner).
Posted by: JosiahQ at September 12, 2003 02:23 PMSt. Elmo just needs a good Greyfriar's quality coffee shop -- though a bit larger to accomidate singer/songwriter type music acts -- and we'll be set.
If I had the money (and/or) expertise, I'd do it myself. It'd be a blast to run an acoustic music venue.
Posted by: John at September 13, 2003 11:16 AM