A voice in wilderness is finally being heard

Date: March 11, 2001.
Headline: "Dare the question be asked now?"
Lead paragraph: "Is a convocation and civic center in downtown Youngstown the best use for the $26.8 million that Congressman James A. Traficant Jr. has secured from Washington?"
Date: April 8, 2001.
Headline: "Arena project is a gamble"
Lead paragraph: "If Congressman James A. Traficant Jr. and Youngstown City Council insist on gambling away a $26.8 million federal grant on a proposed convocation center, they should at least improve the odds of the facility's making money."
Date: June 15, 2003.
Headline: "Arena project is a losing endeavor"
Lead paragraph: "While a confidentiality agreement between the city of Youngstown and developer FaulknerUSA of Texas has hidden from public view the detailed financials of the proposed sports arena/convocation center in Youngstown, it is not a stretch of the imagination to conclude that the project will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for at least five years."
Date: June 29, 2003
Headline: "It's time to end the arena silliness"
Lead paragraph: "PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT -- The Hon. George M. McKelvey, mayor of the city of Youngstown, has a check for $24 million for any developer, wealthy individual or public entity interested in building a 10,000-seat arena in the downtown area that would be used for sports and entertainment events and community gatherings."
One-time gift
It took 18 columns -- talk about a voice in the wilderness -- for this writer's appeal for caution in spending the one-time gift of $26.8 million to finally receive an attentive ear.
In the next month or so, if all goes according to plan, Ohio's two Republican senators, Mike DeWine and George V. Voinovich, will be able to announce that the original grant language has been changed to give the city of Youngstown greater flexibility in spending the federal money.
A convocation/community center envisioned by Traficant would not have to be built. McKelvey and city council would have authority to use the money for general economic development in the central business district.
If only such a move had been made sooner.
Granted, Traficant was adamantly opposed to any reprogramming of the federal grant -- he publicly berated this writer for not jumping on the arena bandwagon -- and no one in city government wanted to be labeled a naysayer. Thus, the refusal to even consider the suggestions put forth in this space as to how the money could be better used to create jobs and serve as a catalyst for private investment in the downtown area.
Private dollars
To his credit, the mayor did state publicly that the infusion of private dollars in the arena project would determine its viability. To date, no developer has stepped forward with a match for the federal dollars.
Last week, after the extraordinary intervention of DeWine and Voinovich to unshackle the federal grant, McKelvey was talking about a "new paradigm."
Interpretation: A new downtown Youngstown is on the horizon. With $25 million to spend on tearing down dilapidated buildings along West Federal Street and to build an office building for high-tech companies, a 7th District Court of Appeals, a municipal court, the restoration of the Wells building and the creation of parking on a site west of Home Savings (the so-called Master's block), good things are on the way.
As for the arena, the mayor is willing to set aside $5 million for any developer. The city would also hand over the land between the Market Street and South Avenue bridges. It used $1.5 million from the federal grant to buy the land.
Two years and eight months ago, in this space, the following suggestion was made:
"Traficant and some members of council argue that the money cannot be reprogrammed. That's silly. The $26.8 million was secured through a special allocation after Traficant made a deal with the Republican leadership in the House. There is no danger of the money's being taken away from Youngstown. Ohio Sens. Voinovich and DeWine could be persuaded to help the congressman."
It is noteworthy that on Oct. 6, the mayor appeared on the Dan Rivers radio talk show and made the following statement: "If I could spend the money on Federal Street I would."
Because of the efforts of DeWine and Voinovich, his wish can come true.