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  • From: Duncan Murrell <dvmurrell AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: RTP-area local music and culture <ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: More news on Theatergate (N&O, Herald letter)
  • Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 09:58:43 -0400

I offer these comments as a feeling-guilty bystander:

Having read this and the H-S article, I'd say that perhaps a little more work could be done to get it across to the press that the objections of that "young crowd" go beyond objections to the Clear Channel. I read that PowerPoint presentation, and it deserved much more consideration than the throw-away line buried in the second-to-last graf of the N&O article, "a local technology manager ... presented data collected from theaters across the country to show they are money-losers." I thought the presentation was much more nuanced than that, and much more devastating. When the words "money-loser" and "Clear Channel" get equal weight in these articles, I think the effort will start to win over the people who, at the moment, aren't paying attention.

If you all are still willing to put together a website, I'd help write/edit some stuff.

d




On Jun 9, 2004, at 8:30 AM, info AT durhamloop.org wrote:

Stifled debate unsettles council

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1317423p-7439885c.html


By MARGIE FISHMAN, Staff Writer

DURHAM -- Three City Council members said they regretted their votes to
continue negotiations with the developer of a planned downtown theater
without hearing from nearly 30 people who had signed up to speak at a public
meeting Monday.

"It was probably not our finest hour," said council member Eugene Brown, who
explained that he was suffering from "fanny fatigue and mental fatigue" when
he agreed to curtail the debate shortly before 11 p.m. Monday.

Brown, joined by council members Thomas Stith and Diane Catotti, said they
would have preferred more public comment before the vote, if only to debunk
the perception that they were immune to criticism of the deal.

Mayor Bill Bell quashed public comment on the $42 million theater project
Monday and pushed a vote that allows the city to continue negotiating for
the next four months with a development team that includes Clear Channel
Entertainment. He also directed City Manager Marcia Conner to set up monthly
public forums on the project.

"He was saying how important the public process is, and then he cuts off
public comment," said John Schelp, who attended the meeting and is president
of the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association. "It was actually pretty
amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

Bell reaffirmed his decision Tuesday, explaining that it was late and that
opponents had an opportunity to voice their opinions by e-mail and at
earlier meetings.

"We do care what they have to say," he said. "What I was trying to do was to
provide a forum that was more meaningful." Bell, who routinely lets members
of the public exceed established time limits, described his actions Monday
as "an exception."

Council member Howard Clement agreed with the move. Clement said he knew
going into the meeting that most comments would be against building the
theater, which was "not on the agenda."

Local artists and downtown residents have protested plans to have San
Antonio-based Clear Channel manage and book shows at the theater, saying the
company excludes people on the fringe and tramples on free speech. Now, they
accuse their elected officials of the same.

Bell "wants an events center, and he doesn't understand why these people
won't let him to do it," said Alex Kostelnik, artistic director of the Scrap
Exchange, who was among the people muted Monday. "It's a power play." On
Tuesday, Kostelnik said he met with other stunned project opponents, all
asking the same question: "Did that really happen?"

The theater extension appeared Monday on the council's consent agenda, which
doesn't require a public hearing. Typically, the council disposes of the
consent agenda at the beginning of a meeting, but Bell moved up a public
hearing on the upcoming budget, after he said several residents requested
it.

Four hours later, after 70 people had jockeyed for their priorities, and one
resident rehashed concerns over access to an Old North Durham park -- an
issue discussed at length during the last council meeting -- the council
took up the 4,000-seat theater, what could be the largest theater in the
state, subsidized by $24 million in public funds.

Clement initially drew applause by criticizing a Clear Channel-owned station
for making "racist" comments about American idol winner and High Point
hometown girl Fantasia Barrino. But he said he would support the extension,
because he wasn't ready to kill the project.

Bell then asked the 28 people who had filled out yellow cards to select a
representative to speak for them. When they refused, the council swiftly
approved the item 6-1. John Best Jr., the only council member to raise
concerns about limiting public comment at the time, said he dissented
because the city has more pressing needs than a theater. A majority of
council members could have voted to overrule Bell, according to the council
procedures.

The vote disgusted some weary audience members, who hollered that it was an
insult to democracy. After the vote, four opponents were permitted to speak,
including a local technology manager who presented data collected from
theaters across the country to show they are money-losers.

Catotti said Tuesday she was uncomfortable with how the meeting unfolded. "I
didn't have a creative solution at the time," she said. "I think it was
unfortunate."

Staff writer Margie Fishman can be reached at 956-2405 or
mfishman AT newsobserver.com.


***

Ask ADF what it needs
Herald-Sun letter to editor

http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/hsletters/index.html#488883

I love ADF, you love ADF, we all love ADF.

Serious questions arise, though, on how the proposed American Center for The
Performing Arts can mesh with Durham and its arts and artists, including the
American Dance Festival. The sketch of the center looks dandy -- bland on
bland. It matches up nicely with the nearby Durham County Jail.

Compare this with the art and aesthetics of Durham. Durham is lively,
enticing, alluring and downright funky. The American Center proposal is none
of the above. It blends with Durham's aesthetics as well as the jail does.
The arts in Durham are mostly homegrown, allowing a wide variety of styles
and moods. The proposed center, apparently to be run by a monolithic
corporation, allows neither.

The proposed center doesn't really meet ADF's needs. It is too large for
most dance performances. Perhaps Durham would be better off asking ADF what
it really needs and find a more Durham-like building to adapt for the
festival.

MARGARET CAMPBELL
Durham
June 9, 2004




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