Four Elk Grove Officials Going To Texas On Fact-Finding Trip

The FC Dallas Stadium will be visited by Elk Grove officials next week. During last night's Elk Grove City Council meeting it w...

The FC Dallas Stadium will be visited by Elk Grove officials next week.





During last night's Elk Grove City Council meeting it was revealed that four city officials will be traveling to Texas next week on a fact-finding trip.

News of the trip surfaced during the city manager Laura Gill's administrative report that she, economic development director Randy Starbuck, Mayor Jim Cooper and Council Member Gary Davis will be traveling next week to visit the FC Dallas Stadium soccer facility in Frisco, Texas.

Last month Gill approved a $50,000 consultants expenditure to study the feasibility of the Elk Grove hosting a professional soccer team.

According to information from the city the estimated cost of next week's two-day trip will be $5,000. The purpose of the trip is to tour the soccer facility and examine how it has been an economic development tool. The foursome are also scheduled to meet with the Howard Hughes Co. to receive updates on the stalled Elk Grove Promenade shopping center.

"I personally think this is premature," Council Member Steve Detrick said at last night's meeting. "I want to go on record."

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13 comments

Anonymous said...

This is just more evidence that this city council is out of control. Just 2 weks ago they hired a Texas firm to do their consultant work on the feasibility of a MLS facility for Elk Grove. Admittedly, this endeavor will cost millions to build and maintain. Why are our city officials circumventing the work to be compiled by their $50,000 consultants by spending our tax dollars on a totally premature trip. All four should be removed from office for squandering our money. The answer to feasibilty= EG cannot support the construction or maintenience of such a facility without declaring bankruptcy (anyone aware of Stockton's $$ problems, admittedly due directly to their new arena and sports facility).Taxpayers should be irate!

Capt. Benjamin L. Willard said...

It seems to me that our fair city has a lot of irons in the fire. The multi-million dollar civic center, the sportsplex and now a professional soccer team.

As the above poster noted, Stockton's venture into a sports complex has not worked out very well.

It's fine to think big, but lets be real too.

Anonymous said...

Doing their best imitation of Texas cowpokes, the posse struts bowlegged into the offices of Howard Hughes Corp., wearing brand spanking new Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots purchased in Wilton, CA.

"Howdy Mr. Hughes, we come bearing gifts from Californyaay". Removing their 10-gallon cowboy hats, the cowboys and cowgirl slap their wadded up greenbacks on the head honcho's desk. "Here pardner. This here is our taxpayer's economic development incentive money. We want y'all to come out and build this here mall for us. We got us a soccer stadium, a Walmart, and a Dickey's Barbecue comin' over yonder, and we want you too!"

As they wheeled around and headed out the door, Sheriff Cooper flashed a grin, twirled his revolver around his forefinger, and blew a kiss on the barrel. "We done good y'all. Now we better dump these outfits and get into our soccer gear for the next meeting."

Anonymous said...

Does anyone think that Frisco, TX is anything like Elk Grove, CA? The fine folks in the greater Dallas area host one of the country's biggest youth soccer tournaments every year. They have a major city with over 2,000,000 people in it. They have major corporations. And they are not doing business with Fabian Nunez.

I am glad we have an extra $50,000 to spend on this consultant. I will consult for $5 and donate the other $49,995 to charity. That is a better use of our money.

Anonymous said...

I have always been a supporter of Mr. Davis & Mr. Cooper in the past, but this is the most egregious breach of trust by our two elected officials I have ever witnessed. Any one with an ounce of brains knows you do not circumvent the work of a highly paid consultant, something they will be aware of. Meeting with HH Corp. officers, they'll eat you like dog food. Believe me, when they're ready for EG they'll send up a smoke signal. DISGUSTING ACTIONS!!! Most likely be like that litte OFFICEBAY business Ms. Gill researched in Fresno and we still can't find out how much that cost the city.

Mr. Davis found time for this trip when he couldn't find time for the city in the last month or more to attend city council meetings and take care of business he was elected to do.

Anonymous said...

Out with the old and in with the new. We need people who care for Elk Grove and not their ego's

Anonymous said...

If nothing else, this trip is generating what could be a more important discussion of what we want from our city.

Better or at least maintained services for the taxpayers or the opportunity to be a destination city. It has the potential to attract visitors and make Elk Grove an international destination.

Just think, we could bring in all sorts of visitors from Europe. We could attract all sorts of mullet-haired Euro soccer hooligans. Now that would put us on the map!

Anonymous said...

Elk Grove? What is Elk Grove? Where is Elk Grove?

Anonymous said...

I missed this meeting and in checking the Agenda for the meeting and listening to the Video this afternoon, I found it very interesting that this trip would have flew under the Radar had, I believe it was Mr. Detrick, not asked Ms. Gill what was happening with the MLS and if there were any updates. At that point she said that "two" councilmembers were going to Frisco, TX to review the Soccer Stadium next week. At that time Mr. Detrick stated that he thought it was premature to do that. End of story...NOT! A public request to the city regarding this trip and the cost revealed that not only were two councilpersons going, but also Ms. Gill & Mr. Starbuck at a cost of $5000.00. and the trip also involved a visit to Howard Hughes Corp. Why did Ms. Gill not reveal this information publicly at the city council meeting? Also, why did our two elected councilmembers not feel it was information that should have been revealed. I know, Mr. Davis stated on Patch "We need a face-to-face meeting with the president of the company to light a fire." REALLY, light a fire under the Pres. of HH Corp? I would even pay money to see how that goes. :-) The citizens of Elk Grove have been duped again...SHAME ON YOU!

Anonymous said...

Publicly subsidized stadiums don't make financial sense: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=9210

and see:

http://dontmesswithtaxes.typepad.com/No_Public_Money_for_Stadia.pdf

Can we kill this idea now?

Anonymous said...

Publicly subsidized stadiums don't make financial sense: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=9210

and see:

http://dontmesswithtaxes.typepad.com/No_Public_Money_for_Stadia.pdf

Can we kill this idea now?

Anonymous said...

Our City Officials really need to be pulled on the carpet for this one. Where do they get off spending the citizens taxes on this stuff without any input from people of the City?

Johann Schuster said...

A new stadium might be one of several 'Destination Attractions' to our city. But as is it would 'just' be for sports.

I would hope the council members attending consider making it more 'multipurpose'. An outdoor amphitheater design can be easily integrated into a sports stadium design. Have the seating face Elk Grove Park so July 4th fireworks can be observed too!

Kudos to our council for thinking ahead. We can make this a win-win idea for our city!

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