Tuesday, January 19, 2010
40 Jealous Whores / Woods Council Debate: 'If We Don't Build It, They Will Quit Coming'
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Greg Adkins: It's about jobs, jobs, jobs and more jobs. This is Nashville's stimulus package. It's going to create 3,000 jobs during the construction phase of the project and approximately over 1,000 jobs after construction when the facility opens and who knows how many jobs will be created from the ripple effect of more tourists visiting our city.
Jim Gotto: I want you to take a trip down Second Avenue and out Broadway and take a look at the construction that's going on where the 100-year-old water mains are being fixed. Well, what does that have to do with this? I'm going to make a confession that back when the Titans stadium was up for a referendum, and I wasn't on the council, I voted in favor of the Titans stadium. They took money out of water and sewer rates to partially make that a reality. ... In hindsight, I think we probably would have been better off to have taken that reserve and started a maintenance program to replace from of this 100-year-old infrastructure that we have. We wouldn't be in the situation we're in now. We are embarking on something that can also take money from the general fund.
Michael Craddock: There is a voice out there ladies and gentlemen and you've all heard it, and it's as loud as it can be not to do this. I don't know of an issue that has been this galvanizing to this community since maybe the stadium and it was voted on. We allowed the people to have an vote on it. ... I sat in here Thursday night and I said I sort of liken this to a train that has left the station. ... I think the train's got a full head of steam. But can I tell you I've since thought about that, and I think we're going to have a train wreck of monumental proportions.
Robert Duvall: I have to oppose this convention center because I love Nashville. This is a billion-dollar project. Let's not fool anybody. I feel the exposure is too great to the taxpayers of Davidson County. The people of my district overwhelmingly oppose this convention center, and I mean overwhelmingly. ... All I'm going to do is ask you to remember this. In Massachusetts tonight, there is a revolution and shots being heard, and you're going to hear it here in Davidson County if you pass this convention center.
