Tonight We Saw What We Could Have Been

[Clock_Tower]

I believe the big stumbling bloc was the building of the Doisey Healthcare Center. This project in Biondi's thinking had to be funded before anything could be done for an arena. Only after this project became a reality would he allow the arena project to commence.

You might be right. And if SLU had built practice facilities only like Marquette in the 1990's, then our program would have been much better off then/prior to 2007 but possibly we would still be at Scottrade today.

[HoosierPal]

Another thing we saw was Jim Nantz giving his tie to ArchD. OK, a VERY nice sentiment from Nantz. Heart felt and sincere. But come on, a tie! How many 21 year olds even know how to tie a tie? Us old farts, sure a tie would be a very nice gift. Wear it to weddings and funerals. Maybe he should have handed ArchD his cell phone or something that the kid could relate to.

[cheeseman]

Cheese.

Likely very hard to do. Remember that SLU is in the business not only of educating students but in soliciting donations with the top donors being guys who were involved with Civic Progress and the likes. Fundraising for our new building was stalled in 2005/2006 and that was long AFTER waiting as requested and being the good tenant for ten (10) years. Had SLU moved forward in 1995 without waiting and turning down the long-term lease, maybe not only would the pre-Chaifetz donations materialized and the arena never been built but maybe also other projects never started and donations never landed. Of course, SLU could have used money from somewhere else -- possibly even endowment money -- to make sure teams had a place to play. But Fr. Biondi was the consummate City politician and real estate mover & shaker and therefore the athletic program was placed on hold for ten (10) years while SLU complete a number of other deals which benefited the university in general but not the athletic program. In short, it is unfortunate that Fr. Biondi came on board in 1987 and that our teams practiced/trained in the long outdated West Pine Gym for another 20 years.

I understand what you are saying and I agree with you. I was only pointing out that if a promise was made and Biondi made his decision based on that promise then it should have been in writing just as the 10 year lease surely was.

[White Pelican]

Civic Progress still exists.

http://www.civicprogressstl.org/

The old RCGA is now St. Louis Regional Chamber.

http://www.stlregionalchamber.com/

They likely have some of the same members but they are not the same organization.

[bonwich]

Civic Progress is allegedly the CEOs of the largest corporations in St. Louis. It used to be very powerful because someone like Gussie could pick up the phone and move millions of dollars or thousands of volunteers. It's still influential, but nowhere near what it once was because 1) it was self-selected and 2) we devolved into a branch-office town.

The Regional Business Council sprung up maybe 20 years ago as a second-tier alternative to Civic Progress for all those companies who wanted to influence local policy but didn't have a first-Monday seat at the Bogey Club. (It's a small club, after all.) Some of the RBC companies are actually larger than some of the Civic Progress companies.

The RCGA is simply the local chamber of commerce. It paid way too much attention to large companies for way too many years, but more recently has actually figured out, somewhat, that small business is the actual growth engine for a local economy.