TLS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: With much confusion surrounding the Blue Claws Stadium recently, TLS met with Senator Bob Singer to get some facts and to address many of our readers’ questions and concerns. The Senator, who was instrumental in bringing the multi-million dollar Stadium to Lakewood, began by saying he has no knowledge of any Committee set up to research the low rent, referring to the quote from Mayor Langert, in last night’s article from Zach Patberg of the APP, posted on TLS. “It’s an approximately $100,000 a year lease, not $25,000- I don’t know where that came from” the Senator told TLS. (Read more in extended article).
As for the renegotiating goes, they have approached the Senator to extend the lease for another 10 years on top of the current 20 year lease, after requesting to add an additional 2,000 seats to the Stadium.
The Senator also pointed out, that contrary to public assumption, no local dollars were used for the Stadium, but rather State UEZ funds, not costing the taxpayers anything. “This is not money that could have been used for our budget” he said.
“It’s a good corporate neighbor” the Senator continued. “They’ve employed a lot of young people, they’ve employed seniors, they give discounts to many groups, they’ve donated to many worthwhile causes in the area, we use the stadium for many positive things like quit smoking programs and many other things”. “I think it’s just been a very positive thing and brought about a very positive thing for Lakewood”.
Senator, we have been taken for a ride on this one. Are you saying we should enjoy the ride?
OK, that’s logical, till the ride ends at the cliff.
no one knows may we should outsource out township commitee
The old days are over . We want exact numbers: how much is the lease, howmuch do we pay in services to blueclaws. how much did it cost us residents . they do do nice things but we’d like some answers to justify this . Heshy where are u?
Senator can you please expound on your statement “It has brought good exposure to the industrial park, companies want to move here” Since the stadium has been built 10 years ago – which company has moved to the industrial park?
Who has been paying for the Lakewood police for the park?
Is there plans to charge a parking fee?
You say “it has been an economic driver for Lakewood” 10 years has passed. Can you please list 5 (1 economic positive event per 2 years not asking for much) economic events that has effected the people of Lakewood in a positive way through the stadium.
You say “The UEZ dollars has affected the Lakewood people and has brought business to Lakewood” which stores have benefited?
Thanks!
How does the senator say he does not know where the figure of 29,000 dollars came from. I saw it myself on the budget. I was invited to a budget meeting( that was a mistake wasn’t it?). I saw the figure, and asked if that was monthly. I was shocked when I was told that it is 29,000 dollars a year! And even if it were 100,000 dollars (which it is not) it would still be a pittance of what we needed to receive to have made this project worthy of 23 million dollars of UEZ money. I appreciate your response to our concerns, but I really expected a more creative one. I appreciate all you have done in making Lakewood eligible for UEZ status. But if ultimately it does not do what it was meant to do, whom did it serve?
I can only compare this whole sad scenario to a parent that works his whole life to get his child on the right path, then at his graduation he tells the child that he took all his savings, his bar mitzvah money, and the trust fund his grandparents left him. He leaves the child to his own devices, just when he needs his fathers help the most.
Please prove that they are getting 100k!
Also just because its stimulus money doesn’t mean it can’t be spent to help Lakewood businesses
UEZ money’s primary use should be to help suffering businesses, not Blueclaws, not Cedar bridge.
The senator also conceals an important fact. There is nothing saying that the annual rent from the stadium can be used in the geberal township’s budget. Si why the low rent?
Sorry I am not done yet. And now for you to mention that you want to add 2000 more seats?
It is like you gave us all paper cuts and now you want to wash the wounds with lemon juice?
I personally am thrilled with the success of the team. I would even take my family to a game if I were allowed to. Originally all I wanted was to see a redirection of resources to include the redevelopment that our town needs to bring jobs ,revenue, and quality of life to our residents. But now seeing the answers you have given to our concerns, I, along with almost all scoop readers, now see there is more to this than meets the eye. Welcome to the new world, where with a little scoop and some google sprinkled on top, transparency in government occurs. Every lie made to cover up another lie, builds a giant tower of babel, that ultimately comes crashing down.
lots of police activity on RT 9 and Gila with CIU on scene lots of cops entering a house,
any info?
The good old day$$ are over.. bob, its a new reality we can’t hide all our backroom deals anymore wer’e lucky to have gotten away with it till now let’s hope they won’t look and find all the waste was taken from the taxpayers.
I can think of another “positive” thing it has brought to our town. By taking away all funds from renovating the downtown, the stadium has facilitated the destruction of our city center to the point that it now hosts an ex-convict center for those that are HIV “positive”
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP BUDGET PAGE ON THE LAKEWOOD WEB SITE IT SHOWS A RENT FEE OF 25,OOO FOR 2006, 2007, AND 2008, SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. (SHEET 10, PAGE 20)
Mr. Scoop can we get Senator/Mayor Singer again for clarification on the rental issue. He did say clearly that the $29,000 was a mistake. We NEED clarification.
Hey here’s an idea, please forward it to the decision makers.
Raise the fees on the stadium, lets get real with the money we see on paper. Use the real amount TO SAVE OUR EMS, and stop all these games. Go Blueclaws……….save our town.
att editor: the titles says facts instead of fibs. pls correct.
If the blue claws would pay accordingly, I would be glad to vote to give the first proceeds to save the EMS. But first we need a little EMES. Then ,and ony then, can we get anything of substance done.
when you pay taxes then we can talk about raising the bluclaws rent.
hey Hershal why don’t u file a FOI request to see the actual lease instead of all this back and forth conjecture. U could post it on TLS for all of us to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it all boils down to accounts payable, there is no q about it
Maybe the township can sell the Stadium to Leventer, he can bring all of his current tenants there, he would get a higher rent plus they might be able to get use out of the day laborer fiasco thingy that was built down there!
OK TLS did it again- protecting the truth from being said.
The senator says the Stadium was a tremondous boost for the industrial park.
I took a careful look at the vast aray of industrial & commercial buildings sprawled in the Cedarbridge park, I guess they are under cover. Senator after 30 years?
Good ideah to ask township clerk for the lease or else file OPRA request
snorkler
hope that mr langert could clarify and say the truth he is wearing a kippa on his head so he gotta live up to different standards
veiter mit dee standards. the new standard is cleaner than the old standard so enjoy it. let the sun shine, let the sun shine….the sun shine innnnn
please ash Sen. Singer about the Patrick Sports Complex that was built a few years ago. For whom?? Why? How much did cost?? Since it was built who is using it??? How much is the cost to matain it??? It was a big WASTE to built such massiv complex, we need a complete run down on the cost and who approved it.