Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The fight to maintain the status quo in Lawrence has been grim. Recent motions towards paving wetlands and constructing a second Wal-Mart have marked harsh defeats in both of these multi-year battles. Yet among these there is a relatively new and rapidly progressing plan in the Oread Inn, whose dissidents are just now starting to really speak up, even though it is quickly becoming too late to stop.
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But with the plans mostly approved, and the requisite businesses shut down, there are few opportunities left for those opposed to delay the plan before it becomes fully operational.
Unlike the aforementioned controversies, which have been held up in courts and public forums for substantial periods of time, this plan has flown through its planning phases in the past few months with comparatively little fuss. The plan has received so little attention from students in fact, that prior to a recent Student Senate bill, the only knowledge most people would have about the Inn likely came from the closing night blow-out at former student watering hole, the Crossing, late last semester.
Though it apparently didn’t have much of an effect, as less than two months later that Student Senate bill, written to express the student body’s dissatisfaction with the construction plans, was voted down 22-30.
But with the plans mostly approved, and the requisite businesses shut down, there are few opportunities left for those opposed to delay the plan before it becomes fully operational.
The most important of these opportunities is a City Commission meeting on February 12th to discuss the use of Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, in funding the construction of the Inn and the infrastructure therein. And this financing would be crucial as, according to the Lawrence Journal World, the construction company handling the Inn has said it could not continue without the TIF.
So for any of the apparent multitudes opposed based on aesthetics, students’ interests or the ol’ Lawrence Spirit, the meeting on February 12 is the last real opportunity to articulate the arguments against the Oread Inn, that have been gently mumbled to this point.
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Editorial: Last chance
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=tuNI_2f1daQaaB4GgukYmkAQ_3d_3d
The general managers DO want to know what students think. This is a small measure, but if you want to have some say... you are the ones who are going to get to use the Oread everyday.
Take this opportunity. Take this survey. What do you want to use at 12th & Oread?
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