St. Joe loves us some history.
We don’t just keep it in the past, either. From the Pony Express to the Civil War, this city often recreates history.
The latest on the reenactment agenda is the Great Library Debacle. That’s no period any taxpayer wants to go through again, yet the spiraling discussion about building a new conference center is reviving memories of feuding boards caught up in a turf war.
I am confident, however, this scenario can end better than the library. City and county leaders have already shown cooperation by forgoing dueling hotel tax proposals; hopefully that spirit will continue to grow.
City officials are lobbying for a downtown convention center adjacent to the utilitarian Civic Arena. The county, on the other hand, suggests building an agricultural expo center off Interstate 29 near the Shoppes at North Village.
This seems like two halves of a pie separated by five miles of congested roads. You know what I like? Pie with ice cream, all served in one convenient location.
You know what taxpayers want?
One well-designed facility that will meet local needs and draw in out-of-towners.
Just like families have to choose whether to go out to eat or fill up the gas tank, leaders have to figure out their priorities here. One businessman said choosing which center to build would be like deciding which one of your children gets to live.
I don’t expect the east side of St. Joe to whither away if it doesn’t get an exhibit hall. As for downtown, the question is whether the city wants a good convention center or to resuscitate downtown. Those two may not be the same thing.
If you ask me — and I know you didn’t, but you are still reading — the ag expo center would better serve the need. It builds on St. Joseph’s robust animal health industry and growing biofuels sector. Easy interstate access makes the site convenient for farmers towing stock trailers.
With a few additions, the center could be made useful for many types of conventions, as well.
Parking is already a limiting factor in the Civic Arena’s usefulness. Erecting a convention hall over the parking garage only exasperates the problem.
If downtown is determined to be the best location, let’s take the time and money to do it right to create an attractive, useful facility.
The building of a new convention represents a great opportunity for St. Joseph. Let’s make it a piece of history that we can be proud to revisit over and over again.
