LUSJ reported today that a "mini food court" will be set up on Locust street featuring local food vendors.
...Ulrich confirmed his development company is organizing a “mini food court” on concert nights featuring all-local restaurant operators. Seven Lockport restaurants are signed up to participate in what Ulrich said he hopes is an opportunity for local businesses to showcase themselves to a large, unfamiliar audience. The concerts draw attendees from around Western New York, southern Ontario and, depending on the main act, other states...
The article mentions that one local charitable cause per week will be allowed onto the premises to raise money. Both are nice additions.
UPDATE 06/24/10
LUSJ reported the plug is pulled on both. I say swallow the pride, don't worry about the additional shows, move the food court into the first row of parking in the lot and lower the fee. Life is about compromises and changes. Use this as an opportunity to make a good idea (local food court) and make it better and a little more open.
UPDATE 06/25/10
LUSJ reported than main promoter will still be hosting non-profit fundraisers. Though is only charging $100 flat fee instead of Ulrich's 50/50 split take.
24 comments:
Did he mention that he is charging them $1800 each to vend there?
Is that true or false????
Yes, if you set up a booth to vend, you usually have to pay money to someone.
But I have no idea if the above is true or not.
I was going to say the same thing. I don't recall the article saying that the mini food court was a charity thing. The restuarants are for profit entitites. Is it $1800 for the 10 shows? $180 per show for access, power, etc is super cheap and would probably be just to cover the set-up costs. For comparison what does an add in the LUSJ cost?
$1800 per show may be a lot. Is access to 10-20 thousand people 10 times for possibly a profit and certainly some exposure worth it? Thats up for the restuarants to decide.
Baloney, it is being set up on Locust St, not in the venue. If it is on Locust St, shouldn't all the money go to the city not Ulrich, or have we given Ulrich Locust St along with everything else we have given him?
I know, I know, Ulrich is the devil, and we were all better off with the giant parkinglot/empty lot that we had before, amirite?
I know for a fact that it is true because a good friend of mine had to pay that to participate. BTW-he paid only a very small fraction last year on a nearby corner lot. I told him that I thought he's nuts but he insists it's a chance he wants to take.
The 10th show is not funded by the city- from what I understand Ulrich is using the $1800 for that purpose. However...is he paying for all the other services too? and the food court will be in his lot adjacent to Ulrich City Center.
I have no interest in the concerts or being downtown on Main Street at that time they are playing. However, I thought that Mr. Ulrich's plan for the Food Court was an excellent idea for those who enjoy being there at that time. If he had been more forthcoming and didn't try to hide all of the details, he would have continued to garner my admiration and appreciation. I fear he caused the unfortunate situation by not telling the whole story up front.
Most venders have their own generators, propane tanks, etc. I'm more concerned with if Ulrich is paying for city employees that are necessary.(police, etc.)
It's a private transaction, why should the public be privy to it? The "unfortunate situation" is only being caused by people who just want to discredit everything that Ulrich does.
The market will play out and restuarants will decide if being in a "prime location" is worth the extra $$$ or if locating on a corner somewhere else it better.
The only stands/trailers I ever really noticed were those over near Elm and they were too far away for me to ever venture over to and check out.
I don't remember any articles stating rental fees for any other events. It's not like this is some conspiracy. Never was it mentioned or insinuated that it was free-of-charge.
I find the overall idea of a mini "taste of lockport" every week during the concerts a nice idea.
It's not a "private transaction" if he is renting out one of our streets, unless we really did give him the street like he has been given everything else!
updated post for today's article "explaining" the fees and the ultimate pulling of the plug on both the donations and the food court.
"“It was all money that I would never touch (for personal gain). That’s something I want people to know,” Ulrich declared. “I was trying to encompass the whole community in these concerts. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how anybody can complain about that, but they are. In this case, the vocal minority gets what they want — which in Lockport means you get nothing.”"
I believe the intent was good, but the execution was not.
I still have no complaints about what was attempted to have been done.
And to Anon 10:31.. again, are you stating that we were better off before the city center? Were we better off when the property was kept undeveloped since the 70's? When an i-beam was dropped of in the middle of the lot so the previous owner could claim 'intent' to build?
I think a food court sounded like a great idea. However, just imagine if Mr. Ulrich would have provided his adjacent lot for this purpose, made it fair by choosing vendors/restaurants, etc. by lottery, and not charged a fee. He would have then been perceived as a hero. After all, one of the main goals of the concert was to profit the local merchants, restaurants, vendors, etc. but unfortunately that hasn't really happened unless you are located right in that block vicinity.
This is where density and a continuous urban streetscape comes in. People will park as close as possible and then walk to the venue. Places passed along the way have the potential for business. The more there are along the way the more potential there is and the more interesting Lockport looks.
Events like these will only go so far and will highlight Lockport. The important aspect is agressive planning to organize growth so when people come back they see an interesting, growing city that's worth coming back to. In other words to sell them on Lockport.
Otherwise you only see the biggest impact only at a smaller number of busineses around the venue itself.
The food-court was a good idea to increase the exposure of Lockport restuarants.
Mr. Ulrich is only interested in one thing...making more money! He has developed a lot of real estate in the town and city, but only to advance his personal wealth. He is trying to hide behind a "Charity shield" to show his good intentions but the real reason has spilled out. HE KEEPS 50% FOR HIMSELF to add two more concerts that will benefit only him and his bar business. He would also keep the money generated from the food court charges for the 2 additional concerts he was putting on. When will people see the real David Ulrich...the self-centered, narcissitic spoiled little baby that he truly is. Give me my ball...I'm going home!
"HE KEEPS 50% FOR HIMSELF to add two more concerts that will benefit only him and his bar business."
What was it I said above how people will bitch about everything and anything that Ulrich does? Well, it still applies.
Although it's a great clip, I hope I don't have to post "I'm against it" again...
Ulrich is a developer. He, like the restuarants who would have been vending, is in business to make money. Where's the news in that? Should the restuarants have been giving out free samples or risk being "evil profiteers" themselves?
Do any of the commenters here own a business or go to work for someone else not expecting to profit from it?
And if he is attempting to fund two more free-admission concerts how is it only benefiting him and Taboo?
The big error here was not fully disclosing how it would all work. Still, I think we could always use an "I'm against it" refresher every so often ;)
Well I guess the major problem was probably the fact that this was actually to take place on Locust Street which is obviously city-owned and then of course who would actually cover the additional cost of police and so forth.
Let's be realistic, Mr. Ulrich is first thinking about himself and I'm sure he's making out quite well on these concerts. The concerts in and of it's self are not necessarily the problem. I do think it's wonderful to offer such a venue in Lockport. Where I find it a bit frustrating is that it comes at a high price on us tax payers. Regardless as to what figures are reported to the public, these concerts cost the taxpayers much more and in the case of Tonawanda, we are paying out substancially more. That is something that doesn't necessarily sit well with me.
Updated post with today's article.
Yes, I wonder how much support wonder boy would be giving these concerts if they weren't in his courtyard. A better location would be the bigger lot next to Molinaro's, or even the hockey rink's lot with it's nice sloped venue.
One must rememeber that parts of the land deal with the city were to leave the parking avaiable to anyone to park in (not just UCC customers)and also to make the parking lot available for city events. so under the agreement he pretty much had to host the series. It's not an evil plot.
I don't believe the Walnut St lot is bigger. The slope of the (yet to be) ice rink would be nice. But in both cases they are not in the most "scenic" of DT areas. The UCC puts pedestrians on Main St and around our newest buildings.
I wish they would take the time to figure out how to put the stage at the other end to use the slope of the UCC lot for good rather than evil. Not being able to see the band more than 1/3-1/2 way back is a tad annoying and not the best for the acoustics.
Post a Comment
Please be be respectful. Diverse opinions are welcome and encouraged. Trolling/baiting/personal attacks/spam will be deleted on sight, as will respnding to one that has yet to be deleted. Do not encourage the behavior.