RICHMOND, Va. – My compliments to Rick “Read’em and Weep” Tatnall, who found and read a report that I didn’t know existed and to John “Nothing Gets By Me” Gerner, the area’s leading expert on sports arenas and other boondoggles approved with your money.
Today we want to applaud the efforts made by a private citizen, on his own nickel – that’s right, he isn’t on the Mayor’s payroll or the developer’s “vig” payroll [we explained the “VIG” yesterday] – to dig out the facts FOR YOU.
He not only researched the area, but found the TRAFFIC STUDY used to justify the stadium. It’s a study done for the city BY FOLKS WHO WANT TO BUILD A STADIUM IN SHOCKOE.
The Mayor’s study concludes ALL THE TRAFFIC GENERATED by folks driving to a ball game does not have to be counted in the study because it will not occur in “peak hours.”
They don’t define the peak hours.
Say what?
A Stadium Traffic study that disregards stadium traffic as irrelevant to a stadium traffic study? That’s right. You can’t make this stuff up!
Plus, the report writers cover themselves by saying MAYOR JONES FOLKS okayed not counting these cars in their traffic study!
Let’s recap.
The Mayor’s traffic experts said they DON’T HAVE TO COUNT any of the estimated 2,500 cars coming to the game.
Rick is going to expose this today when the City Council’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation Committee meets this afternoon to consider the Mayor’s Shockoe Stadium proposal.
Remember, all the public wants is a fair say, as in the advisory referendum City Council President Charles Samuels thought YOU were entitled to have before he sat down with the pro-stadium backers and got better “JUDGEment.”
The Chair of the Committee is Jon Baliles, the one city council member who has shown an interest in actually making a decision on the facts.
Mr. Tatnall intends to discuss the “Mayor’s Traffic Study for the Stadium That Doesn’t Think Any of the Traffic Going to the Stadium has to be taken into consideration” report.
The committee members have had access to the traffic study. They also have access to Rick’s analysis.
Let me ask, what does it say about the truth behind the Mayor’s Shockoe Stadium proposal when the Mayor’s Stadium Traffic Study disregards stadium traffic?
As a smart lawyer says to the Judge after getting the answer, “I have no more questions for this witness your honor.”
Paul Goldman is in no way affiliated with WTVR. His comments are his own, and do not reflect the views of WTVR or any related entity. Neither WTVR nor any of its employees or agents participated in any way with the preparation of Mr. Goldman’s comments.
