CIB solution may be wrapped into state budget
The Legislature has been behaving as expected lately: little public sound and fury, but action beginning to stir behind the
scenes.
The Legislature has been behaving as expected lately: little public sound and fury, but action beginning to stir behind the
scenes.
The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association says it needs more sales and marketing firepower to fill an expanded convention
center and adjacent hotels. That means asking the city’s Capital Improvement Board—one of ICVA’s primary sources of funds—for
a budget increase of up to 50 percent at the worst possible time.
If the Capital Improvement Board comes, hat in hand, looking for help, we trust the investing companies will carefully weigh the benefits they’ve derived from the city and its thriving downtown before delivering an answer.
Some local officials wrestling with the Capital Improvement Board’s $37 million deficit think part of the profit made by the Indianapolis Indians could be used to narrow that deficit, but Indian officials balk at that idea because they say they’ve already paid more than their share.
A group of mostly local companies that made big investments to help launch Circle Centre mall soon could be asked to write
off a portion of profits they agreed to redirect into the construction of Conseco Fieldhouse.
“Group think,” a powerful and controlling force, was present as the Capital Improvement Board built Lucas Oil Stadium and Eli Lilly and Co. developed and marketed Zyprexa.
The Colts are our “heroes,” the bedrock of our community (at least for the few months per year that most of them spend here). Why should these esteemed athletes help the city?
I agree 100 percent that Colts’ owner Jim Irsay should step up to the plate to help bail out the Capital Improvement Board debt and that Colts’ ticket holders should be taxed.
Swamped by financial losses that go back to the time Herb and Mel Simon bought the Indiana Pacers in 1983, team officials
are now looking for a new game plan—one that may involve financial assistance from taxpayers and visitors.
The Capital Improvement Board’s $43 million in debts must be settled soon, or the entity may not be able to survive.
Jim, you could engender so much good will if you would step forward and provide some short-term relief by paying more toward the operating costs of Lucas Oil Stadium.
State lawmakers formed the Capital Improvement Board in 1965 to oversee construction of the city’s convention center.
Creativity and transparency are required to fix the Capital Improvement Board’s financial woes.
Cleaning crews are wiping construction dust from the 63,000 seats in Lucas Oil Stadium, prepping for the public’s first peek at the $720 million venue Aug. 16. But the hard work is only beginning for the city’s Capital Improvement Board, the entity charged with operating the stadium. The fumbling point: CIB is anticipating a $20 million operating deficit for Lucas Oil Stadium in 2009.
Fred Glass, president of the city's Capital Improvement Board, headed historic transitions in both the mayor’s and governor’s
offices and has become the go-to guy for some of the city’s biggest initiatives, most of them sports-related.