Wednesday, August 1, 2007

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

"Raleigh has never considered giving a massive subsidy to a private developer, and now is not the time to start doing so," Mayor Charles Meeker said Tuesday. "This [type of financing] just shouldn't be used in this area of the city. Period." (Raleigh News & Observer)

But, I guess a
million dollars to fund competition to restaurants like Cafe Luna in DOWNTOWN Raleigh is not a subsidy.

What's the difference? Is a million dollars not a massive subsidy? What about the millions that have been spent around the location of the restaurant and other venues in downtown Raleigh with public dollars.

How would Raleigh respond if Kane had this going on downtown?

Much of the private development in other areas of Raleigh does not have the benefit of millions of dollars in amenities that the city of Raleigh and other governmental units provide that benefit downtown private projects. Thus developers in other areas of Raleigh have to pay for these themselves.

It's just hidden under the guise of general downtown revitalization. I see how much the folks on Bragg Street and other blighted areas have benefited.