BD organization in jeopardy

[garfield]

As much as I love the Blue Devils, and hope to see them continue and thrive, they don't really have much of leg to stand on regarding this issue.

The guys from VA. have a right to run a business, non-profit, for-profit, or doomed-to-ultimately-no-profit-because-it's a-loosing-proposition-and-a-bad-idea-anyway, anywhere they want. That they want to do it in Concord is unfortunate, but that's about it.

Forget about it having anything to do with drum corps ... What BD is asking the Concord City Council to do is tantamount to giving them a local monopoly on a particular type of business, and that just ain't how the American Free Enterprise System works.

Okay, that same free enterprise system works by having enough political clout through back-room deals with politicians at the local and state levels to get legislation enacted to make your monopoly legal ... Like the Tribal Gaming interests have done. But that's a slightly different story, and a game that BD doesn't have the financial resources to play.

Bottom-line: Bingo is no longer a reliable source of income. Adjust and move on, or run the risk of failing, like any other business.

You live in the Bay area so correct me if I'm wrong (but I have it on solid authority that I'm not): Bingo in Concord is legally limited to non-profit organizations. That law is already in place. Isn't the "gang from VA" (or "G-VA") contending that they aren't "running" bingo so they don't have to be a non-profit to own a building that they lease to non-profits to conduct bingo?

I'm not defending BD; rather, I'm hopeful that you can clarify that point because you're in the area.

Further, if the "G-VA" wants to change that law, isn't it a referendum issue? That is, the law can't simply be changed by fiat to accommodate them?

Please clarify if this is incorrect. And please site sources if you claim I'm wrong because my information comes directly from a "horses mouth" on the issue.

Edited July 10, 2010 by garfield

[garfield]

I forgot...What is this thread about?

It's "CRS" Michael. It happens beginning around age 45 or so. And pretty soon you've forgotten why you're talking.

[DCIHasBeen]

You live in the Bay area so correct me if I'm wrong (but I have it on solid authority that I'm not): Bingo in Concord is legally limited to non-profit organizations. That law is already in place. Isn't the "gang from VA" (or "G-VA") contending that they aren't "running" bingo so they don't have to be a non-profit to own a building that they lease to non-profits to conduct bingo?

I'm not defending BD; rather, I'm hopeful that you can clarify that point because you're in the area.

Further, if the "G-VA" wants to change that law, isn't it a referendum issue? That is, the law can't simply be changed by fiat to accommodate them?

Please clarify if this is incorrect. And please site sources if you claim I'm wrong because my information comes directly from a "horses mouth" on the issue.

Apparently the company is not running Bingo games, but providing a facility where non-profits can run bingo games for a rental fee.

[garfield]

"Did I say anything that is UNTRUE?"

i'll get back to you on that once i have time to go read the entire thread. some of us have real lives that exist outside of the internet.

(tapping my foot and hearing nothing but crickets)

[HBD]

You live in the Bay area so correct me if I'm wrong (but I have it on solid authority that I'm not): Bingo in Concord is legally limited to non-profit organizations. That law is already in place. Isn't the "gang from VA" (or "G-VA") contending that they aren't "running" bingo so they don't have to be a non-profit to own a building that they lease to non-profits to conduct bingo?

I'm not defending BD; rather, I'm hopeful that you can clarify that point because you're in the area.

Further, if the "G-VA" wants to change that law, isn't it a referendum issue? That is, the law can't simply be changed by fiat to accommodate them?

Please clarify if this is incorrect. And please site sources if you claim I'm wrong because my information comes directly from a "horses mouth" on the issue.

Many bingo halls on the east coast dont actually operate a bingo "game", they just rent space to the non profits to operate games.

When the Bushwackers held games in the late 90's, We rented a hall that did not have its own game, they just rented space to licsenced non profits 7 nights week.At least in New Jersey , this type of situation was legal, Dont know much about Cali laws though.

I think the hall needs to be a liscensed "commercial lesse" (sp) for this to be legal.

These halls also operate the concessions for themselves , bingo laws do NOT govern concessions, The board of health of the particular municipality handles that.

My guess is that this firm knows exactly what it doing and BD doesnt have a leg to stand on, Tough to be them.

[Michael Boo]

It's "CRS" Michael. It happens beginning around age 45 or so. And pretty soon you've forgotten why you're talking.

I already walk into the utility room with a paint brush in one hand and a jar of pickles in the other and wonder what either one has to do with the bottle of glass cleaner under my arm. And then I thank God that my life isn't like this thread.

[84BDsop]

I think it's been deleted. Guess they didn't like the publicity.

Nope...it's still there. if you actually go to the site directly instead of through a link, it comes up.

[Plan9]

The image I conjure up as I think of this thread is a bunch of old washer women hanging over their backyard fences, pickin' and talkin' about the hussie up the street who all the men are goggling at (and not at them!) “It is a tale … full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet (the side with oxygen), the Bluecoats are smokin' hot tonight and fans are cheering for great drum corps performances.....yet the old washer women keep yakin' away. It really is time to come on out of your mom's basement and give the Dell a rest!

[garfield]

I already walk into the utility room with a paint brush in one hand and a jar of pickles in the other and wonder what either one has to do with the bottle of glass cleaner under my arm. And then I thank God that my life isn't like this thread.

Yep, that's it. A classic case. Welcome to the club!

[ajwdad]

My guess is that this firm knows exactly what it doing and BD doesnt have a leg to stand on, Tough to be them.

Actually, their "leg" is that none of the legal requirements were followed. Just one example, there was no environmental impact report. The firm has very deep pockets and funding from out of state. Since this is a local government issue, laws outside of CA don't matter. But the fast tracking is of major concern. And if this goes through, likely more than one of the BD programs will get canceled. And it likely will not be the BD corp that so many on this forum seem to hate.

From the paper.

Since June, Concord city planners and commissioners have fast-tracked a planning development (PD) request from Enea properties to convert the former site of Velocity Sports training center, located at 1505 Willow Pass Road, into a regional bingo center operated by Pop’s Bingo World, based out of Richmond, VA.

The transfer of the “recreational use” of the zoning from gymnasium to a completely different use, is seen as a way for Enea to at least get some rent out of the vacant structure; by leasing the site to a national, turn-key Big-Box Bingo outfit.

Meanwhile, the City of Concord seems determined to approve the PD (without a continuance!), amending the plan to a simpler, speedier “Use Permit” Administration Application (AA) process, and without any environmental studies required by California statute (CEQA); as if there would be no traffic or environmental impacts. The applicants represented capacity could add peak loads of 600 vehicle trips per night on Willow Pass Road and crowded city corridors.

EOR

Basically, BD is stating that the city council should follow due process along with some other complaints such as zoning laws, bingo laws from both city and state, along with community reasoning (IE BD is good for concord) There is room for legal challenge here, but the corp likely cannot afford a protracted legal fight. So, the big money may sway the politicians. Hence the call for local help from the BD family.

My final comment, this issue is local to Concord and important to the BD fan base. That is one reason that BD did not post here in the first place. Posting here is kind of like asking the Bay Area Football fans to support the Dallas Cowboys. Ain't gonna happen.