Two stadiums, two wildly different political outcomes (Atlanta, Smyrna: condos, purchases)

[toll_booth]

Atlanta Falcons, Braves stadiums affect politics | www.ajc.com

Critics of the two-term leader of the state’s third-biggest county, say Lee’s push for the new Atlanta Braves stadium ran roughshod over those who raised objections to the deal or wanted the county to slow down.

Cobb Republican voters’ negative impressions of how Lee conducted the Braves deal played an outsized role in his defeat last month to a political novice in a primary runoff.

By comparison, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed coasted to re-election nearly three years ago after sealing a stadium deal with the Falcons.

The deal also included fraught negotiations for the purchases of two historic African-American churches to make room for the arena, and a pact to spur revitalization near the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Some of us are not the only ones to have noted the marked contrast between the process for the new Atlanta stadium and SunTrust Park.

[netdragon]

As a Cobb resident, how Lee handled it is exactly how he should have and needed to in a county like Cobb. He couldn't give the anti-tax dark red well-organized machine time to load their guns. They were already very organized, and ready to pounce, and they did the moment the announcement happened with their wide network of "woah is me" people, helped along by the C.O.A. guys crying about the loss of the Ted already turning things negative. If he had prematurely announced, it would have killed the whole deal and the Braves would have been in Dekalb, along with all the development that came along with it, bringing jobs, higher land value, etc.

I am independent but voted in the republican primary so I could vote for Tim Lee. Between that and the streetcar idea for Cobb Parkway, he had my vote.

I can't say I'm completely unbiased. I'm for Smyrna growth and one of the condos I own are within walking distance of the new stadium. To avoid any hints of impropriety, I've had that one since 2007.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by netdragon

As a Cobb resident, how Lee handled it is exactly how he should have and needed to in a county like Cobb. He couldn't give the anti-tax dark red well-organized machine time to load their guns. They were already very organized, and ready to pounce, and they did the moment the announcement happened with their wide network of "woah is me" people, helped along by the C.O.A. guys crying about the loss of the Ted already turning things negative. If he had prematurely announced, it would have killed the whole deal and the Braves would have been in Dekalb, along with all the development that came along with it, bringing jobs, higher land value, etc.

I am independent but voted in the republican primary so I could vote for Tim Lee. Between that and the streetcar idea for Cobb Parkway, he had my vote.

I can't say I'm completely unbiased. I'm for Smyrna growth and one of the condos I own are within walking distance of the new stadium. To avoid any hints of impropriety, I've had that one since 2007.

So apparently the concept of citizens having a say in how their tax dollars are spent is a nuisance to you.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by Gulch

So apparently the concept of citizens having a say in how their tax dollars are spent is a nuisance to you.

No, what is a nuisance is a small handfull of loudmouthed old-timer E. Cobb people. They don't represent the majority but having influence through political groups acting like negative anti-tax trolls, essentially. Those same douchebags also opposed a senior living facility in E. Cobb. They also got Lee unelected, and maybe ousted him from the gun club while they were at it. So be it. What's ironic is they got a Northeastern progressive in his place :-) So it's a win-win for the progressives.

Hopefully in due time they'll all be living in Cherokee, Paulding and Bartow and leave Cobb to the millenials and progressives who want to make it a better place and not harken back to ye ol' days of old and lynching of Leo Frank at Frey's Gin (as anti-tax people seem to do), putting warning stickers about evolution in books and getting banned from the olympics because of anti-gay sentiment. That's not today's Cobb.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by netdragon

No, what is a nuisance is a small handfull of loudmouthed old-timer E. Cobb people. They don't represent the majority but having influence through political groups acting like negative anti-tax trolls, essentially. Those same douchebags also opposed a senior living facility in E. Cobb. They also got Lee unelected, and maybe ousted him from the gun club while they were at it. So be it. What's ironic is they got a Northeastern progressive in his place :-) So it's a win-win for the progressives.

Hopefully in due time they'll all be living in Cherokee, Paulding and Bartow and leave Cobb to the millenials and progressives who want to make it a better place and not harken back to ye ol' days of old and lynching of Leo Frank at Frey's Gin (as anti-tax people seem to do), putting warning stickers about evolution in books and getting banned from the olympics because of anti-gay sentiment. That's not today's Cobb.

Except a small handful of business interests took YOUR tax money without YOUR permission to benefit a baseball team already in the metro area. You don't see an issue with backroom deals like that?

And comparing those against the Braves deal to the Leo Frank lynch mob and Gordon Wysong is absolutely disgusting.

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by netdragon

They don't represent the majority but having influence through political groups acting like negative anti-tax trolls, essentially... That's not today's Cobb.

I wish you were right, but all signs point to that being exactly what today's Cobb is. The man lost his election by 28 points! That's not a narrow defeat. That's a shellacking. Clearly a majority of Cobb county voters were not in favor of that plan.

[ATLTJL]

He couldn't give the anti-tax dark red well-organized machine time to load their guns.

So.....you believe in totalitarian government, not one that makes decisions based on hearing from both sides and coming to a conclusion that is the best thing for everybody overall without being a total win for one group and total loss for the other?

That system is working quite well in Syria.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

So.....you believe in totalitarian government, not one that makes decisions based on hearing from both sides and coming to a conclusion that is the best thing for everybody overall without being a total win for one group and total loss for the other?

That system is working quite well in Syria.

No, I believe in a government that has town hall meetings like Cobb did and listens to all sides, and makes a decision based on what - as elected officials - is best for the county as a whole even if there are some loud-mouthed people that seem to think their voice is more important than everyone else. Don't forget there was a council vote on it AFTER town hall meetings. They could have all voted against Lee if they wanted (some did). It's a well-known fact that the people FOR something tend to not speak as loudly as the people against (especially the CAVEs and NIMBYs)

The fact of the matter is that Cobb was stuck in a rut, and atrophied as far as business growth compared to North Fulton, and just the announcement of the $1 billion development alone got things moving again.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Gulch

So apparently the concept of citizens having a say in how their tax dollars are spent is a nuisance to you.

Absolutely right. Lee got his just desserts for his complete lack of ethics and proper representation over this matter.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by netdragon

No, I believe in a government that has town hall meetings like Cobb did and listens to all sides, and makes a decision based on what - as elected officials - is best for the county as a whole even if there are some loud-mouthed people that seem to think their voice is more important than everyone else. Don't forget there was a council vote on it AFTER town hall meetings. They could have all voted against Lee if they wanted (some did). It's a well-known fact that the people FOR something tend to not speak as loudly as the people against (especially the CAVEs and NIMBYs)

The fact of the matter is that Cobb was stuck in a rut, and atrophied as far as business growth compared to North Fulton, and just the announcement of the $1 billion development alone got things moving again.

The dissent could hardly be characterized as group of loud-mouthed marauders. If the process was fair and inclusive, why the widespread shock over the announcement? And why was it done with no forethought whatsoever for the stadium's impact on infrastructure? Many Cobb residents saw this for what it was, and Lee got handed his hat for it, plain and simple.