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Allen, while giving John Kavanagh credit for building 6 townhouses near the stadium (some of which have still not sold after two years), we should also remember that the new stadium inspired the owner of a perfectly good Art-Deco era apartment building across the street from the stadium to tear it down for a parking lot.

And North State Chevrolet, once a functioning business adjacent to the new stadium, is now a desert of weedy asphalt. All schemes to develop that property have so far vaporized.

I hear anecdotally that the Acropolis restaurant across from the stadium has lost business, especially on baseball nights, because people eat their dinner in the stadium.

It looks like the stadium has been a net loss economically for downtown -- fewer downtown workers at the site, fewer residents, and a net loss in business activity -- unless you count the Grasshoppers owners.

None of this should be a surprise to anyone. Anne Stringfield of Fisher Park researched and made available reams of economic studies that all conclude that downtown stadiums are not drivers of economic development.

I'll make you a bet: within 10 years, the Grasshoppers and stadium owners will ask the city either to renovate or buy the stadium as it ages and attendance numbers dwindle. The loser buys dinner for the winner at the Acropolis ... if it's still there.

We'll see, David.
As I've mentioned, the stadium is, if anything, a competitor to downtown restaurants.
That shouldn't be a surprise, since a major source of its revenue is the sale of food and drink.
But it has created more excitement downtown.
Or at least that's what I've been told.
Roy Carroll has told me time and again that the stadium helped spur his interest in building Center Pointe.
As for the old North State site, one of the Jones brothers told me that it sparked similar interest from them in developing the spot for mixed use.
They obviously didn't succeed with their initial vision for Bellemeade Village.
But guess who still wants to buy that land for residential development and has bought the old county building site across from the ballpark as well?
Roy Carroll.
Finally, you seem skeptical about the stadium's positive impact but are a passionate supporter of War Memorial Stadium as an asset to the Aycock community, where you live.
Isn't there a contradiction in there somewhere?

Allen, I agree that the new stadium has probably had some strong but less easily measurable effects on downtown development. I also think those same effects could have been attained from investment in projects that have stronger economic spillover, such as the original Bellemeade Village concept that Action Greensboro's planners originally proposed for the site. Have a look at the upper left-hand corner of this image:

http://www.actiongreensboro.org/images/centercity/originalplan.jpg

As to whether I contradict myself ... I don't think so. The case that I and others made was that it would be a better use of AG's money to renovate War Memorial Stadium because it would be less expensive, because it would enhance a significant historic structure, and because (following Philip Bess's argument in his book City Baseball Magic) neighborhood ballparks are generally more successul than those plunked down in urban entertainment zones.

At any rate, I'm grateful that the N&R editorial page has endorsed the idea of taking advantage the inherent synergy between the stadium and the Farmers' Market. May I point out that that was at the heart of the original stadium/neighborhood plan that the Aycock neighborhood produced in 2003? And at the heart of the most recent bond proposal? My recollection is that the N&R was less enthusiastic about the idea back then, and that any notions that the old stadium needed to be "saved" were pooh-poohed by you.

Just saying ...

Now boys, let by gones be just that.

We have an idea that we all seem to agree upon. Let's do it.

I agree, David. There's a win-win to be had by following the farmers' market/War Memorial plan.
And I congratulate the Aycock neighborhood for its initiative all along.
Yours is a community to be admired.

Thanks Allen. You're right, it's a win-win ... so, onward!