RTP-area local music and culture

[bd189 AT yahoo.com (alex kostelnik)]

Hello everyone.

  Clear Channel is trying to bust a move on Durham.

  I came to Durham from Seattle, home of the smoldering ruins of the
"Grunge" era. I moved two Septembers ago.

  I have been building and running recording studios in Seattle for
ten years.
I worked at Avast!, Vagrant, Bear Creek, built and ran Buttermilk, and
managed the Laundry Room for Barrett Jones.

  Did records with some of the usual suspects in town including Mia
Boyle, The Presidents Of The United States Of America, Blue Spark, Sir
Mix-a-lot, and the Kent 3.

  I moved to Durham two Septembers ago to work at Overdub Lane. I had
heard from Durham from two friends who raved about it- Kathleen Hanna,
who I went to school with at The Evergreen State College, and Inga
Muscio, author of the book _Cunt_.  I made a notorious promo video for
Nirvana while a film student at TESC.

  When I left Seattle the biggest band (besides Pearl Jam) was an
AC/DC cover band called "Hells Belles" (which creates mixed feelings
because my friend sings for it).

  Seattle's biggest club is a museum called the Experience Music
Project.

  I have seen the unmitigated shit that happens to a local scene when
the corporations move in.

  The city of Durham is proposing to build a 4,000 seat "Events
Center" and they are begging Clear Channel to come run it and sell six
dollar cokes and 15 dollar parking spaces.  (That's how they make
their money managing midsize venues.)

  I bet you never were asked about this let alone even heard about it.

  That's not an accident. Durham city government is smuggling this
behind the scenes.

  I know you all on this list know all about Clear Channel so I will
spare you and not condescend.

  Seems as though Durham is afraid some other town might get a poorly
built, not particularly useful "events center" (they quit trying to
call it a theater a while ago, and they are also trying to call it a
third name: "American Center for the Performing Arts") and Durham will
miss out.

  They have absolutely NO ONE to commit to using it, NO MONEY AT ALL,
and NO-ONE to demographically promise to USE IT.

  The current venues under the city's care are falling apart.  The
roof of the Carolina leaks and the wallpaper is falling off.

  So at least they have a stellar track record in maintenance.

  This is a desperate reach from a bankrupt city to try to build
something to save their fake idea that they are a po-dunk town in need
of generic culture.

  Durham taxpayers will ultimately pay for this thing.

  Clear Channel is expecting a no-restraints contract to come into
this without having to spend a dime, wring money from the venue if
possible, stomp local voices and culture, and leave scotch-free if it
doesn't work.

  Except for one thing- they have expressed concern, as they have on a
national level, that there will be an ugly reception for them in
Durham.  They have insinuated that if things get ugly they will walk.

  Spare the city from stepping in it.  Make an ugly scene.

  Come to what looks like the vote (on whether to extend the project's
deadline by four months) at City Hall on Monday, June 7 at 7pm.

  If they change it, I will notify you all.  They like to change it. 
They like to meet on weekday afternoons with sub-committees when you
can't come.

  In the meantime, a group I am involved with, ABCD  (Arts and
Business Coalition of Downtown) has written a sample letter to City
Council.  Free to edit what we wrote to your hearts' delight and send
it on off to them!

  What do _you_ think?

Sincerely, 
Alex Kostelnik
North State Sound 
www.ABCDdurham.com
Artistic Director- the Scrap Exchange
--------------------------------------------------
PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY

Durham City Council will very soon be considering the Event Center, a
proposed new 4000-seat theater north of the Ballpark in Downtown
Durham that will be managed by Clear Channel Entertainment.

Please send a brief email to City Council opposing the EVENT CENTER
and CLEAR CHANNEL. (See sample letter below).

Also, please come in person to City Council for the vote and sign up
to speak. It will likely be Monday June 7 at 7pm at Durham City Hall.
I will post the date of the vote on this list as
soon as it is confirmed.

This issue is CRITICAL to defining how Downtown will grow in the
future.

Phone numbers for Council are also provided below the sample letter.

***

Based on numerous conversations I and many others have had with
theater people, local artists, musicians, and downtown enthusiasts,
there is virtually unanimous opposition to this project and to Clear
Channel's
involvement. Many of the concerns we have heard from the community are
outlined in the sample letter below.

City Council needs to hear our voice on this matter!


Thank you!

Alex Kostelnik
Arts & Business Coalition of Downtown
www.ABCDdurham.com


***

Sample letter

SUBJECT: OPPOSE Event Center and Clear Channel
TO: council AT ci.durham.nc.us;mconner AT ci.durham.nc.us;info AT durhamloop.org


Mr. Mayor and Members of City Council,

I OPPOSE the proposed Event Center and the involvement of Clear
Channel Entertainment.

I appreciate the intentions of the city, DDI, and others in their
proposal for a new 4000-seat Event Center downtown. On the surface,
this project appears to promise Downtown revitalization and new
cultural events.

However I feel that this is the WRONG project at the WRONG time in the
WRONG place. This proposed theater has quietly been moving forward
behind the scenes with no performers, no audience, no clear financial
viability, and no public will.

There has been a complete lack of transparency on this issue. Local
artists, musicians, and the theater community have not been consulted
or informed on the details of the plan. These are the very people who
have the most at stake with this project. Next to no information on
the Event Center has been covered in the press.

The entire financial model for the Event Center is predicated on the
involvement of Clear Channel Communications. Ironically, this company
is an 800-pound gorilla that has alienated musicians, artists, and
performers both locally and across the country by their monopolistic
practices and widespread patterns of censorship. They are a threat to
the First Amendment itself! I vehemently oppose my public dollars
supporting Clear Channel in any way, shape, or form.

Meanwhile, our existing facilities are crumbling. The Carolina
Theatre, Arts Council, and Armory are all in dire need of repairs.
Where are our priorities if we let our current popular institutions
suffer, while we put all of our resources into a potential boondoggle
and money-pit that has no support from the voters and the local arts
community?

There may come a day when Durham is ready for a larger performance
space. But let's take care of our existing treasures first. We will
know when our current facilities have reached their capacity, and at
that time (unlike today) you will actually have an audience and a
constituency that demands a new performance space. And as Downtown
Durham grows organically, the private sector will likely meet this
future need when the time is right, without risking any public dollars
prematurely. This is not about opposing development and growth
Downtown. Quite the opposite, this is about getting
it right.


I respectfully urge you to look at the big picture and vote against
the Event Center and Clear Channel.

***
Durham City Council
http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/council/

Mayor Bill Bell, 560-4333 ext. 269
Cora Cole-McFadden, 560-4396 or 477-2484
John Best, Jr., 560-4396
Eugene Brown, 560-4396 ext. 404
Diane Catotti, 560-4396 ext. 401
Howard Clement, III, (919) 560-4396
Thomas Stith, III, (919) 560-4396