Stimulus Money

As with most Texans, we were not pleased with the stimulus bill as passed by Congress early this year, mainly because it was too expensive, increased the deficit and national debt significantly, was not very stimulating economically and did not go where it was needed most… into shovel ready projects and back in payroll taxpayers’ pockets…but…

Designated stimulus money (if without burdensome or long term strings attached) can do a lot for Conroe.  We are talking about a considerable sum of money.  However, building another outdoor amphitheatre in Texas heat?….for gosh sakes no.  Initial plans for another outdoor amphitheatre have apparently been discussed by a couple of councilmen and a few others even when it was looking like local tax money involved.  In a follow-up showing, the Goodman Corp. made a second presentation to council regarding stimulus money spending plans for Conroe, and an amphitheatre had been inserted in the revised proposal that no one can remember from Goodman’s first presentation.  Hmmm… 

We have an amphitheatre already, with lots of downtown parking, though it’s not very good for how the city wants to use it.  It is built with the stage north to south, and should have been built east to west.  That can be fixed, and should not cost that much to fix it… certainly not compared to building another one.   

There are two major problems with building another amphitheatre.  One is obviously the Texas heat, which for five or six months of the year keeps a large number of Conroe’s citizens from being able to come out and enjoy an outdoor concert or event.  It’s just too darn hot for many of our citizens and taxpayers to enjoy for much of the year.

Secondly, as far as attracting top artists, for those that are willing to play in the heat, most are obviously going to play at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, perhaps the most outstanding amphitheatre in the state, with an expensive and sophisticated air condition system that keeps the stage and the first few rows cool even in our brutal Texas temperatures. 

The Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, newly remodeled after hurricane Ike, is about ten miles straight down I-45.  Let’s fix the amphitheatre we’ve got before we commit several million for another one we don’t need and that won’t be able to compete for serious acts and artists with the finest one Texas has to offer less than 15 minutes down the road.

What Conroe could use, if a generous benefactor or corporate sponsor would commit to funding a large chunk of the costs, is a 1200+ seat indoor theatre/auditorium.  While costs and location are always a concern, many high quality acts and artists of all kinds that require 1000+ seats could play there.  While many great artists and acts play at the historic Crighton Theatre, as this year proves, others that contact The Crighton Board simply cannot be accommodated due to seating limitations.  It’s also something all of Conroe’s citizens could enjoy at any time of the year and in most any kind of weather, and could eventually be revenue positive for a foundation or for the city and taxpayers, if run properly, from the additional seat and concession revenues.  Regardless, we simply don’t need another outdoor amphitheatre.

Mayor Melder mentioned the city would take a hard and careful look at the stimulus money and see what conditions or strings, if any, came with it before going any further on specific spending plans.  We applaud and fully agree with that decision, as some of the problems the city has run into have been based on spending decisions that were made in haste and without a specific plan or model in place.

There are many needs.  We hope the stimulus $ come with few conditions and no strings, and that the money will be put to the best use for all of Conroe.