Actually, I like the whole Wal-Martian, China-fication notion. Get rid of the illusion that Wal-Mart is a Buy America enterprise, make them sell their goods in Chinese currency. 😉

At least then the homeless folks will a place to sit and watch the traffic go by.

We do not need another convention center, even our city officials go elsewhere for the BIG meetings. (Like Sun Valley to meet with the Chamber of Commerce to plan how to get people to come to Boise)

http://www.charretteinstitute.org/charrette.html

Not a consultant either, gave that up in the mid-90’s. I feel like Kirk talking to Kahn in Star Trek II, “… but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target.” Letting my sci-fi geekiness show through 😉

Fourty-three words (counting this)?

EDITOR NOTE–CG, nice work! If you can keep all your posts this clear we will end up with the most intellectual site in Idaho! (For the non library types: (common Idaho definition) “CHARRETTE: is a collaborative planning process that harnesses the talents and energies of all interested parties to create and support a feasible plan that represents transformative community change.”

George, I will concede this round, but you owe us all a simple SHORT definition of Charrettes. It sounds to me like a syndrome where one uses many words when one or two will suffice. You are worse than a developer, you’re a friggin’ CONSULTANT!

I’m trained in architecture (but I don’t regularly practice the trade), and to relax I sculpt. I’m very keen on transit and sound urban planning. I’ve also participated in over twenty urban design charrettes (most, but not all, for downtown Boise – focusing on identifying and fixing problems). Nine of these I wrote, directed, and facilitated for the University of Idaho’s Architecture Department as part of its urban planning practicum. I’ve also been a university guest lecturer on architecture. I help create, and for a number of years I ran, an all volunteer, award winning, organization that provided pro bono architectural and design services for non-profit & community-based organizations.

My favorite color is red, I like walks on the beach at sunset, and one of my best friends is my dog. My (currently) favorite movie is An American in Paris, and the three books on my nightstand are a book of Pablo Neruda’s poetry, Manuel De Landa’s A Thousand Years of Nonlinear History, and McDonough & Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle.

I’m a little shy, but I imagine a number of people who read the G know who I am – and I like the anonymity of this electronic confessional 😉

Mayor Dave recently proclaimed, “Boise is the most REMOTE city of its size in the country.”

You and whatever agency or developer you work for need to get a French-style TGV funded and running–at 200 mph with no grade crossings–and I bet even the G will jump aboard a convention center. Meanwhile please don’t choke our downtown with more buildings, people, cars, trucks, cops, etc.

I am a retired writer, please share your interest or background in a word or two.

He realized what his town had to offer: cultural events, historical sites, great scenery, was rather sparse (compared to other European towns). But he saw something special that others didn’t – his town’s location. His town was one of the most centrally located cities in Europe – especially so after the, then proposed, TGV train would be opened for business.

Nantes was transformed into Les Citi Internationale Des Congres, and the rest is history – sort of speak. The majority of the city’s economy now rests on convention bookings.

Why should this matter? Well, Boise is one of the the most centrally located towns in the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest. It is ideally suited for corporate conventions, since most everyone in this part of the country would need to travel equal distances to convene. Boise is also a convenient base from which to take in a number of outstanding outdoor recreational activities – exactly what a weary business conventionier wants to induldge in after a week of meetings (or to take in while playing hooky, not that anyone does that at conventions).

I recall George Bernard Shaw’s statement regarding how progress occurs, “Reasonable men adapt themselves to their environment; unreasonable men try to adapt their environment to themselves. Thus all progress is the result of the efforts of unreasonable men.” I think Nantes is thankful for at least one unreasonable man, and if an expanded convention center capacity is handled correctly Boise will be thankful for its own group of unreasonable men.

As for those who are opposed to a larger convention hosting capacity in Boise (regardless of how it is funded), I think they would still hope they could be proven wrong.