After reading the entire business plan and attending the council meeting Tuesday, I am more convinced than ever that the ESM is not a viable business. The plan as written by a recent grad of UT contains no real specifics on how the plan will be implemented but rather is a rehash of ideas tried within the last dozen years.
The plan calls for a mix of vendors including food, flowers,fresh meat, produce, candy, wines etc. etc. This is the very same mix the market had when it opened. I have a list of original vendors and all of these are included. The plan also points out that when the market opened it was destined to lose.
The new plan wants an increase in advertising dollars, a new sound system, a new manager and board, and a "fair amount" of dollars to invite the Food Network to come to town, and a new website. When asked where the money would come from for these items the answer was that the profit from the market would cover it. A profit by the way that has never been made in all the years of operation.
The profit calls for 100% leasing, something that even the Westfield Shopping Town struggles with at times. The plan also says that the ESM will cover it's own utility costs, again, hasn't happened yet.
According to Jeffrey Green who wrote the report he was given the parameters for the report by the city. In other words the city wanted particular things to be reflected in the report and success to be shown as a reachable goal. That's what Mr. Green did.
There are real no specifics as to how any of the goals will be met other than that once met the Market will be successful.
Council has the power to get the city out of this Market if they wish to, or they could continue to throw money at it in hopes that it will get better. Don't expect them to do the right thing unless you tell them how you feel.
From My Seat In The Grandstand.............
By fred - Posted on April 30th, 2008
Tagged: Politics
• Too high
• City Council
• Democrats
• Development
• Mayor
• Radio
• Taxes
• Toledo
• Carty Finkbeiner
• Toledo City Council
• WSPD
But, Fred, is your opinion on the ESM officially sanctioned by the advertisers at Carrabba's?
Absolutely!!! They love me, I love them Don. LOL
about everything in Toledo? Take a break already.
goon, i'm not negative about your web designing skills, mad props to your work on the TN site.
Sorry Fred not him.
Troy Neff's web designer.
Sorry Fred, although I can get around in Photoshop (flowers, showers, bike paths graphic) I don’t have a clue about web design. I can’t wait for your next post, or your next "rant" about taxes.
People in the downtown area, per a Blade article, see a need for a grocer or retailer that offers the items they need or want and some now drive further to get the items.
It would seem instead of staying with the same space and booth rental the market could be pitched to some retail chain, or even one of the local chains to open a grocery type store there.
Having a company like Tectra Tech clean up the area, which seemed to be the purpose of the idea to begin with, was great but now the plan seems to be slipping back in the same old, same old.
...to put in a grocery store? Is there a big enough customer base to make it worthwhile? Why would I pay to park my car (I suppose you'd use one to shop unless you're going to pull a cart behind you), and pay for the "privilege"? When a firm compares the cost of buying property in downtown Toledo, or paying real-estate taxes there to have a grocery store (which has a low profit per foot of space) doesn't it always make sense to go a few miles down the road to put in a grocery store? Is any business like Tectra Tech looking to finagle "tax incentives" to add to their bottom line, and walk away as fast as they can?