By STUART NITTGEN Special to the Courier & Press

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Stuart Nittgen is a resident of Evansville.

Unfortunately, I fear it is too late and Evansville and its precious little downtown will remain an entity that continues to drag down what could have been a Kentucky-Indiana regional powerhouse.

Yes, I supported this inexperienced mayor and now I am finding out that business experience, real vision (this mayor only knows how to lean on consultants) and accountability to constituents do matter.

I have learned two things from this fiasco. One, Evansville, the town, needs to be absorbed by the county. And two, voting blindly for the Democratic candidate because I was raised in a union family is wrong.

And maybe then build an arena for this entire area, along this corridor maybe around Ellis Park.

Citizens of Evansville, look up and see what is happening in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer and Daviess (Ky.) counties. How about designating a HERO corridor from Henderson, Evansville, Rockport and Owensboro, by upgrading existing roads?

Call me the Disenfranchised Democrat.

I can hardly read the Courier & Press anymore as I just can’t take the fakey arena news.

I think the public has shown its complete disdain for this folly.

I think most of us instinctively see that the arena will be great during the construction and for about three years and then straddle the “town” of Evansville with a mostly idle facility with a huge operating loss.

This move will likely throttle for years any realistic chance Evansville the “town” will become Evansville the “city.”

I think about what a real leader could do with $125 million. It will be more likely $150 million, once the overruns start to hit.

I think about how Evansville could build upon the theme of “A great place to raise a family” and invest in the zoo, an aquarium (that’s how Chattanooga did it) and schools. I don’t seek longer school years but modern teaching techniques such as those supported by Gov. Mitch Daniels, which, as a lifetime Democrat, I can’t believe I am saying.

Also invest in school facilities (indoor pools like what Castle has) and youth sports facilities, to draw tournaments here.

Come on. Companies don’t locate to an area because they have an arena but because they have great schools, great roads, great opportunity and they are progressive.