Let's suppose Nelson and other advocates for the Classic Center are right that Athens stands to gain a lot from an expansion of convention space. Read this report from the Trust for Public Lands- The Benefits of Parks: Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space-to see how parks generate lots of benefits, including economic development benefits, for cities and their residents. They make existing residents happy, and help attract new residents. If designed well, parks-particularly small neighborhood parks-can help strengthen community ties, boost property values, reduce crime, control stormwater runoff, cut traffic, improve air quality and encourage physical activity. Good parks are good economic development investments for cities. Why isn't improving quality of life for residents a good return on investment? Well, actually it is. (The downturn in convention business preceded 9-11, and the current recession.) This 2005 report from the Brookings Institution- Space Available: The Realities of Convention Centers as Economic Development Strategy-outlines reasons for skepticism about the wisdom of investing convention center expansions.Ģ. For another, the convention business itself is changing as employers, tradeshows and other typical users of convention space scale back or are exploring web-based ways of getting together. So, there's tons of convention space out there-and it's intensely competitive. For one thing, lots of cities buy into this idea that more is always better when it comes to convention centers. While it's a very frequently made pitch, expanding convention space and adding hotel rooms doesn't always pay off for cities. Does expansion = more convention business? Not necessarily. The expansion is a better return on investment for our tax dollars than investing in maintaining our parks infrastructure, greenways or transit stops.īoth claims can-and should be-closely questioned.ġ. The Classic Center expansion will boost convention business, and thus bring more visitors to town to pay sales taxes, generate more profits for local business and create jobs.Ģ. Morris owns daily and non-daily newspapers along with several radio stations, magazines, an outdoor advertising company and several other media properties, stretching across the nation and into Europe.In making the case that a proposed Classic Center expansion should get the lion's share of the 2011 SPLOST funds that aren't going to the critically needed jail project, Athens Banner-Herald business columnist Don Nelson claims:ġ. The paper is owned by Morris Communications Corp. In May 2001, the afternoon Banner-Herald and morning Daily News were merged into one morning paper published under the Banner-Herald name. The site takes more than 5 million page views each month. In June 1996, the papers started a Web site, originally called Athenaeum, which was changed to Online Athens in 1997. Athens Magazine, a bi-monthly full-color magazine featuring the people and places in Northeast Georgia, was started in spring 1989. The papers continued to compete editorially, but eventually the staffs merged to provide content for both papers. The transaction was announced on Christmas Eve 1967. But within a couple of years, the financial burden being carried by the owners of the Daily News forced them to sell the Daily News to the Morrises. Just 32 days later, William and Charles Morris, who owned newspapers in Augusta and Savannah, purchased the Banner-Herald, and they immediately made an offer to also purchase the Daily News, but were rebuffed, and a newspaper battle emerged between the morning Daily News and afternoon Banner-Herald. On June 17, 1965, the first edition of the Athens Daily News rolled off the press. The owners knew that the Banner-Herald would be up for sale soon (because of a stipulation in the owner's will). ![]() In 1965, The Advertiser - an Athens weekly published by local businessman Claude Williams - was being converted to a daily newspaper to challenge the Banner-Herald. In 1921, the Banner merged with the afternoon Herald, and was operated by Publisher Earl B. The Athens Banner-Herald's roots go back to the Athens Banner, first published on March 20, 1832, by Albon Chase and John Nisbet.
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