Congrats to everybody that worked on the Bioscience campaign. I believe that these initiatives are going to benefit this community for many years to come. I also believe that the District will need to very prudent in how they use this authority that was so narrowly given to it by the voters. A 1.6% spread between those for and against is too close for comfort. Hopefully some of the Nays can be won over in the future.
I had an interesting conversation with an associate concerning economic development. The particular topic was whether or not retail development should be a part of the mission of our local economic development efforts. There are some folks in town that think that retail development is not as important as industrial development. There was one comment made in particluar that really hit the nail on the head… “I don’t care if it wears a skirt, wears pants or dresses in drag…if it’s creating wealth and jobs then it’s economic development.” I couldn’t have said it any better.
It looks like bowling is as hip as ever according to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal. It also looks like cities are going to need every bit of sales tax they can generate to make up for dismal retail sales. So I think it would be safe to say that a new bowling alley would definitely be an economic development project. Maybe we can get the government to offer free bowling lessons as part of the stimulous plan.
Below is an architect’s rendering of the new Family Entertainment Center “KAZAM” that is planning on opening soon in the old Albertson’s building. The center will feature a state-of-the-art 32-Lane Bowling Alley, Rock Climbing, Laser Tag, Arcades, a Full-Service Restaurant and other Attractions. The attraction will create an estimated 30+ jobs and generate between $3M and $4M in sales annually. What a great re-development project for an abandoned building falling into a state of disrepair! What a great attraction to bring visitors to town from the surrounding communities! The $4M in projected sales will generate significant sales tax dollars for Temple. The millions of dollars of capital investment in the building and facility will generate more property tax dollars for our City and schools. The 30+ jobs that will be created will pay real dollars that will be spent in our community. Shazam! What a great economic development project for Temple!
For those of you that don’t read Japanese, sayonara means goodbye. And you thought there was no educational value to this blog.
It appears that the Albertsons building will soon become a Family Entertainment Center that will feature a state-of-the-art 32-Lane Bowling Alley, Laser Tag, Arcades, a Full-Service Restaurant and other Attractions. David and Anna Kessler placed the site under contract and are moving forward with development plans. Maybe we could have a Council meeting or two in one of the VIP bowling suites.
Click here to view the press release and fact sheet.
I have had several requests to post current sales tax information. When using my finely honed political math skills it is safe to assume that if three people actually make a request then a minimum of three hundred must want the same thing. So, that being said, I am happy to oblige. Enjoy. Or then again… maybe not. It all depends if your glass is half full or half empty.
The $1.6M building permit taken out last week was for a new mini-storage on the Lake Road. The project is going to be constructed in compliance with the masonry ordinance that was passed back in April. How can this be? The Growth At all Costs crowd, here-to-forward now known as the GAC, passionately prophesied that the ordinance was going to kill commercial development in Temple. The 6-minute video below dispels one of the more intellectually dishonest arguments used by the GAC. They argued that the ordinance would make new construction too expensive thus killing our growth prospects. It is interesting to me that in all of the debate over this ordinance nobody ever mentioned the Stucco Tech product. I wonder why?
My belated condolences to all of the freedom fighters that worked so hard to KILL the Masonry Ordinance that was passed last April.
The Growth At All Costs crowd fought a valiant fight expending a tremendous amount of energy in an attempt to first stall then kill this ordinance. One of the tactics used was to lament, to anyone that would listen, the loss of businesses that would forego locating to or expanding in Temple. Dressed in their sackcloth and ashes they predicted the direst of futures for Temple stating that this ordinance was not business friendly. Cracker Barrel and Joe’s Crab Shack were held up as examples of eateries that would never come to town because of the proposed masonry ordinance. These two restaurants became the first in an ongoing litany of illusory casualties of the Masonry Wars. But wait, it appears that the reports of Cracker Barrel’s death were greatly exaggerated. Apparently, they are opening a restaurant in Temple. And how do I know this. Well I hear it was in the Telegram — but more convincingly they have started constructing a $750,000 building.