Save Our Sarasota steering committee member, Richard Clapp, participated in a forum at a luncheon meeting of the Downtown Partnership today. Tim Clarke (Chamber of Commerce) and Sharon Cunningham (Convention and Visitors Bureau) also participated. Clarke and Cunningham spoke in favor of the Conference Center proposal, while Clapp spoke against using public dollars to fund the proposed center on public land.
The proposed center would require an increase in the tourist tax to fund the building and use of TIF dollars to fund a parking structure. No private investment is included. The conference center would occupy about 25% of the "Cultural District" land area south of Payne Terminal. This would significantly reduce space available for the identified cultural uses as well as forever destroy one of the few remaining great places in Sarasota.
Clapp pointed out that great cities - Sarasota is a great city as we all know - have a strong "sense of place". Sarasota is well known for its cultural activities and its beautiful waterfront location. The "Cultural District" must enhance our sense of place that is the vision of Sarasota. Covering over this great bayfront property with a building designed for short term, out of town people simple does not make sense. We need to keep our views of the bay open for all to enjoy. This great place needs to be saved, for this is what drew us here originally and will keep visitors coming here if it remains.
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