The article which appeared in the July 26 edition of SUNDAY entitled
”Class A Controversy” (by Don Baines) regarding the development of a baseball stadium in South Bend, while generally factual, was, in a number of instances, inaccurate and misleading.
As a member of the St. Joseph County (South Bend) Hotel/Motel Tax Board, which is responsible for promoting tourism and conventions in the community and overseeing the expenditures of over $1 million a year in this effort, I have attempted to be objective in my analysis of the stadium.
As one trained in architecture and city planning, I have, in the past, developed planning and urban revitalization programs in some 100 cities throughout the country. This experience has indicated to me that public developments which may be opposed by a number of citizens can turn out to be a positive contribution to the community.
A case in point is the East Race, which the author of the article describes as a ”recreational raceway area for kayaking and inner-tubing along the riverfront that, in the planning stage, met community approval. It, too, proved controversial when economic development along the raceway failed to materialize to the extent that the mayor had predicted.” This statement is not accurate. There was very substantial opposition to the East Race development, which required a major bond issue. Indeed, it was only at the last minute that the opponents who had gathered sufficient signatures to defeat the bond issue rethought their position and did not file the petition. With some $4 million just expended on a major recycling project on the East Bank as a direct result of the public expenditure by the city on the recreational raceway, to suggest, as the author does, that substantial economic development has failed to materialize (along the raceway) is not true.
As a result of the great success of the 350-seat Old Spaghetti Works Restaurant, the 56-room Works Hotel and the 29-unit Madison Apartments, we are proceeding with the early development of an 80-unit all-suites hotel just a block north of our present Old Lathe Works project on the East Bank.
Although I did not support Mayor Parent`s plan to develop the stadium, I believe that we may find his vision was better than ours. The best days of our city are yet to come. SOURCE: T. Brooks Brademas, President, Center Management Corp., South Bend, Ind.
I am truly disappointed in the article on the baseball stadium in South Bend in SUNDAY magazine. It was the most biased and cynical piece of reporting I have ever read. I am surprised that quality journalism was totally ignored when you printed the article. The reputation of The Chicago Tribune is a fine one. I didn`t think yellow journalism had a place in your magazine.
As a lifelong resident of South Bend, I am offended at the article`s portrayal of this city. We do not live in the past. It is also not the goal of every parent in South Bend to have their daughter marry a baseball player.
South Bend is a fine, progressive city. A controversial baseball stadium does not make it any less so. However, Mr. Baines` article was slanted and unprofessional. South Bend is growing and will continue to do so despite this kind of publicity. SOURCE: Beverly Bernth, South Bend, Ind.
A few points of clarification are needed in relation to the recent article on South Bend`s new Coveleski Regional Stadium.
Since the facility opened on July 2, over 50,000 fans have been entertained at over 60 baseball games, ranging from the Indiana State Tournament to an exhibition series between Pan American representatives Team USA and Team Canada. You would be hard-pressed to find a negative comment from any of these people who have seen the finished product.
The impression of South Bend as a modern-day ghost town is overexaggerated. Patrick Industries is moving into the area, as is Inland Steel. Two brand-new office complexes are being erected in the downtown area. New businesses continue to move into the newly renovated Control Data Building.
As for the stadium itself, Mayor Parent was smart enough to figure that if a facility was to be constructed, it should be first class in every way. Coveleski Stadium will be a centerpiece not only for the Midwest League but for all of minor-league baseball. If the 3,500 requests for season-ticket information during July are any indication, professional baseball will have a long and successful run in northern Indiana. SOURCE: Marc G. Whitney, South Bend, Ind.
In ”Political Baseball,” Don Baines portrays us South Bend city dwellers as living ”in the past.” It seems rather obvious that precisely because of such projects as the East Race, the ethanol plant and, yes, even THE Stadium, that we are looking decisively toward the future.
It has taken a mayor with some vision and some guts to form this city on contemporary enterprises instead of Studebaker histrionics.
SOURCE: Pamela Sayers Clifford, South Bend, Ind.
I hope that your other reporting is more factual than your story on South Bend`s new stadium. Mr. Baines` account is clearly biased and distorted.
As a 50-year resident and former Studebaker dealer in South Bend, I know first-hand how inaccurate this story is.
For example: Mr. Baines claims that the Studebaker Museum is housed in an old abandoned dealership. As the former owner of this building, I know that many successful businesses used this building. It was not only NOT abandoned, but it was never empty, not even for one day.
Anyone with an open mind can spare just a few hours in South Bend and easily see how bad this reporting was. Please do so.
SOURCE: Eli Spicer, Freeman-Spicer, South Bend, Ind.
Does South Bend have a controversial baseball stadium? Yes. Has there been a public stadium built in the last 25 years that hasn`t been
controversial-anywhere in the U.S.-prior to construction? I doubt it. So where is the news?
I just returned from a bike ride this evening to the stadium with my 9-and 4-year-olds-from Mr. Baines` description, a dangerous trip. For a city that ”tends to live in the past,” I went past at least $100 million of recent investments along the St. Joseph River and in our downtown area. Somehow, all of that was overlooked by Mr. Baines and his photographer, Bob Fila (do you generally show 4- to 6-month-old photographs?).
SOURCE: John T. Phair, The Holladay Corp., South Bend, Ind.
The photographs of South Bend and construction of the stadium were taken on May 8, 1987, some 13 months after the stadium`s scheduled April, 1986, opening day and two months before the actual July 2, 1987, opening day.-Ed.
The broad journalistic brush of Don Baines barfed on the Studebaker National Museum in his essay of negativism in your magazine. Filled with bias and inaccuracy about the museum, his comments cannot pass unchallenged.
He stated that the museum ”. . . near downtown attracts few visitors.”
Last year 25,000 people visited the Studebaker National Museum. Last month, July, 3,000 visitors came to the museum.
We invite the citizens of Chicago and the Midwest to take the Indiana Toll Road to South Bend and drive 10 minutes into downtown South Bend to visit the Studebaker National Museum and explore a golden age of industrial America. SOURCE: Thomase E. Brubaker, Executive Director, Studebaker National Museum Inc.
Regarding the issue of the Sunday magazine for July 26 with the article about the unwanted, detested and fought-against stadium: Ever and ever so many of us are saying loud and clear: WOW! GREAT! FINALLY IT HAS BEEN TOLD! There is great satisfaction in reading in your paper the facts which had been ignored, denied and swept under the rug in spite of much protest.
Thanks for a great job. SOURCE: Chris Gore, South Bend, Ind.
Finally someone had the courage to print the real story of what the South Bend stadium is all about.
I thank you for telling what our local paper has never fully revealed. This is another case of the citizen taxpayer being told by the administration to ”shut up and pay up.”
You will probably hear repercussions from City Hall, but we, the people, thank you.
SOURCE: Mary E. Guentert, South Bend, Ind.
In the many subterfuges used by the administration to shove a baseball stadium down the taxpayers` throats, one of the most glaring was the ”parking spaces.”
Now, any business in South Bend is REQUIRED to have x number of spaces
(defined by law) according to the size of the property being utilized by that business. This is mandatory of all businesses . . . spaces adjacent to the business itself. Except baseball stadiums.
This facility was built to hold 5,000 or 5,500 people and has a grand total of 400 spaces adjacent to the ballpark. The mayor expects the overflow to park in one of the two parking garages-SEVEN BLOCKS FROM THE STADIUM.
No private commercial operation would have been allowed such flouting of the law.
SOURCE: Jean R. Goheen, South Bend, Ind.
As I read the (South Bend) paper and listened to our mayor on TV, I decided to express another view on the stadium. It sounds as if Mr. Don Baines is the only citizen objecting to the stadium. There were many of us. We signed petitions, etc., and were ignored. Many of our stores and businesses are moving to the adjoining city of Mishawaka. Our tax rate will be higher-the stadium is a luxury we don`t need.
Mr. Baines may have been involved in opposition to the Coveleski Stadium, but he was supported by many people. SOURCE: Barbara Zineback, South Bend, Ind.
I find no errors in the Coveleski Stadium story except that you forgot to title it ”No Hits But Plenty of Errors.” South Benders thank you a lot for printing the truth. Kane County, Ill., will get a Class A baseball stadium for $1,600,000. Why does it have to cost South Bend $13,000,000? SOURCE: Brennan Bros., South Bend, Ind.
Thanks for presenting the facts regarding the stadium to the South Bend readers.
We fought to keep costs between $2 and $3 million-a reasonable figure for a Class A stadium. They are now approaching $15 million.
The mayor says it will help our economy. How can it? The interest will go to a bank in San Francisco. If the city were to profit $100,000 a year (an optimistic figure), just think how many years it will take to pay off $15 million.
SOURCE: R. Ziolkowski, South Bend, Ind.
GRANGER ON SPRINGFIELD
This letter is in regard to Bill Granger`s column (”If Other State Capitals Are a Tuxedo, Springfield Is a Pair of Brown Shoes”) in the July 12 issue of SUNDAY. When and what part of Springfield did Mr. Cosmopolitan visit? Why was he there? Did he run out of things to denigrate in his column?
Mr. Granger stated in his column that there is nothing to do in ”Mr. Lincoln`s Hometown.” Did Mr. Granger not know about the Great American People Show in New Salem State Park? How about Lincoln`s home, law offices or his tomb? And what about that pesky Illinois State Fair? In addition, I have yet to be in a bar in this town that serves beer from a can.
I must not have realized just how bored I was and despicable Springfield actually was, but thanks to Mr. Granger`s article I`m still in the dark. If Mr. Granger didn`t like Springfield, he doesn`t have to come back (we wouldn`t mind) . . . he can stay home and read his columns and get the same effect. SOURCE: R. Eric Davis, Springfield.
FATHER GEORGE CLEMENTS
Enough is enough of Father George Clements (”Preaching by Doing,” July 19, by Jim Spencer). Your newspaper, national television and national magazines have touted this man to be some super priest and super guy.
So he has adopted three young men. It is going to be very interesting to see these young men grow up to be self-sufficient individuals.
Do a sequel on this man 10 years from now and include the progress of his ability to raise his sons, his church`s progress. You know, we can all express our hopes and dreams, but we all know it takes sacrifice, prayer, a lot of hard work and determination to achieve them.
SOURCE: Martha Thomas, Gurnee.
I have an even better idea than sainthood for Martin Luther King Jr.-how about someday canonizing Father Clements?
SOURCE: Terry Przybylski, Evergreen Park. I would like to commend your paper for the excellent article on Father George Clements that was published a few weeks ago. It is indeed refreshing to read about the good things in our community. Too often we read only about the sordid things. I think that our black community will be prouder than ever of George Clements after reading the article. And I believe that it should help them to achieve the goals he stresses.
Rev. Leonard H. Mattei, Director of the Italian Catholic Apostolate, Archdiocese of Chicago.
