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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Huge hurdle for Livermore theater project

Uploaded: Nov 18, 2013
Proponents of the 2,000-seat regional performing arts center in Livermore were dealt another setback last month when a Sacramento County judge ruled against the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center.

The future of the ambitious center became tenuous when the Legislature and Governor Brown eliminated redevelopment agencies in 2012. The legislation allowed agencies to fulfill pre-existing obligations. Seeing that the Legislature was likely to pass the bill, Livermore, as well as many other agencies, entered in what they hoped would be binding agreements to obligate redevelopment funds.

When the city submitted those obligations (totaling $122 million) to the state, the Dept. of Finance consultant (former Alameda County Chief Administrative Officer Steve Szalay) disallowed the claim because no bonds had been sold and construction had not started on the theater.

Judge Eugene Balonon agreed with the state so now the center leadership is talking to its lawyers and looking at its options. The center is now led by its new executive director, Ted Giatas, who moved north from Palm Desert in Southern California.

Without the redevelopment funds, the center leadership faces a huge challenge to line up the financing for the theater. Utilizing redevelopment did not require a public vote, a majority of the City Council was sufficient. Should the center and the city turn to a bond issue, that will take a vote of the public and one heck of a sales campaign to convince people that it would be a good investment of public funds.

Incidentally, one good investment with redevelopment funds has been the facelift given to part of First Street in downtown Livermore. It's become a hub of entertainment and dining to the point that the city now is undertaking a thorough parking study to evaluate how to best serve customers. The study could potentially lead to another parking structure or even parking meters (heaven forbid).

Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by John Morillas, a resident of another community,
on Nov 20, 2013 at 11:39 am

It's a good sign when Livermore is going to invest more in the Downtown area. Compared to Pleasanton during the holidays Livermore doesn't compare. A new parking structure would be great and parking meters (although I detest the thought) would prevent employees and trucks with advertising signs from using First Street parking all day.
Personally I think Livermore should close down First Street on Sundays and make it pedestrian only.
JM


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Nov 20, 2013 at 11:42 am

You want services...pay up!

i mean it...


Posted by Donald Lee, a resident of San Ramon,
on Nov 20, 2013 at 5:23 pm

I would absolutely hate to see parking meters like Walnut Creek. Another parking structure on Railroad Ave west of the cinemas at S. Livermore Ave would service the downtown businesses quite well.


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