Private Sector MIA, Callahan Says
Peter Callahan at the TNT today suggests that Tacoma’s private sector has quietly left the building. What’s left of the Chamber of Commerce? Where did the Executive Council go? Bueller? Anyone? Callahan points to the struggling old Elks building project as an example of the failure of private local investors to step forward to save a project generally acknowledged as positive for Tacoma. Although we’re rubbed the wrong way by by suggestion that Tacoma lacks of private sector leaders, we can’t deny that there’s room for improvement. What are we missing in this town to move us forward again?
Read Callahan’s article.
Filed under: General
6 comments
M Morty October 4, 2011
It is the hall of fame. People that bet on Tacoma and LOST.
And don’t forget the losers in the Bay Watch, the Emerson, The Esplanade, The Walker, MT Lofts, etc, etc, etc, millions gone!…Very few private investors are interested in a new project here and financing is impossible.
C Chris October 4, 2011
Financing and local discretionary funds would help. That’s the crux of it. There are mixed use projects on the books that would benefit business districts. Those lack financing.
Discretionary funds would be easier to come by if we could develop a transportation system that doesn’t consume as large a proportion of household income.
B Bob October 5, 2011
One would think the local Chamber of Commerce, which supposedly works for the benefit of businesses and the economy, would try to do something more effective than has been the case so far. Instead they put their energies (assuming they have any left) into protecting those useless mothballed ships in Old Town—as Peter Callahan points out.
R RR Anderson October 5, 2011
Let’s not forget the Chamber of Commerce bravely standing up for blighted/dilapidated Clear Channel Outdoor monopoly billboards. How does it feel to be on Olivia Lippen’s payroll you miserable intestinal parasites!?
#occupyTacoma ARISE!
J Jesse October 5, 2011
Aren’t there term limits in Tacoma?
These powerful people want to work hand in hand with other influencial types who they can trust. Private-public partnerships are NEEDED in Tacoma because if they didn’t exist, you’d have everything built in Bellevue because the developer can get more money per square foot – and the cost to build is near identical. Turning over good polititians is bad for Tacoma. Whatever happened to the people that put together the UWT, LINK, the museums? Weren’t they essentially pushed out of Tacoma by term limits on the political side and relationship default on the private side?
A Altered-Chords October 8, 2011
Have a beer and a hot dog at the Red Hot. A new (relatively) Tacoma Icon. Start small.