Garden to pay $1.65 million after getting all oopsie over those benefit events it never held

By adamg on Thu., 8/3/2017 - 7:14 pm

WBZ reports DCR will kick in another $1 million for an athletic something-or-other, maybe even an ice rink, for Jackson Square, after those high-school kids discovered the Garden and the state just plumb forgot all about those benefits that were made a condition of construction for the new Garden.

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Comments

Isn't that nice?

By Lecil
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 7:23pm

We know of course why they "forgot". They hoped that everyone else would too, and heck, if someone remembered they'd make a minimal "oops" payment, chalk it up to the cost of doing business, and walk away.

If they really want to help with the project; cough up the roughly 13 million they should have raised in the intervening years.

Yeah that sounds light. $23k

By anon
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 9:56pm

Yeah that sounds light. $23k per event they didn't hold.

How was this settlement negotiated?

By Snuggles
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 2:49am

Why not take the value of each skipped event, plus 7% annual interest, and then triple it for punitive reasons?

They'd still be getting off easy, if no investigation into whether anyone intentionally forgot or was paid to forget.

Here's how they came up with that figure

By merlinmurph
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 7:20am

From the Globe:

Officials said the retroactive sum was calculated based on what TD Garden raises in other community-style fund-raisers, particularly the three it holds each year for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. Thse venue raises $25,000 in net proceeds each year from those three events. Adding up that amount for 22 years â€” when TD Garden was first opened â€“ would equal $550,000. Latimer said TD Garden decided to triple that amount.

Negotiation

By Sock_Puppet
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 8:59am

The kids should now show the press why their figures are more accurate.

Market Value?

By Snuggles
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 4:45pm

It only costs a company $25K to rent the Garden?

Or does the Garden potentially make a lot more than what a community event might *net*, by keeping those Garden resources available for possible commercial use (which might use those resources plus others)?

Excellent

By SwirlyGrrl
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 7:32pm

More meddling kids, please!

Your wish...

By John-W
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 9:16pm

...is the intertubes' command!
[youtube=]hXUqwuzcGeU[/youtube]

Right. Because we need Legislature-sanctioned

By roadman
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 7:24pm

EXTORTION - which is exactly what the idiotic law is. Government should NOT be in the business of promoting charity or forcing private businesses to support charity - especially as a condition of receiving required permits, approvals, etc..

Once Again

By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 10:24pm

Your failure to understand how PUBLIC resources were needed to build this PRIVATE complex does not mean that it was extortion or wrong for the PUBLIC to get some PAYMENT for PUBLIC LAND involved in the deal.

If your neighbor demanded a piece of land on your property, you would expect to be paid for that. If you and your neighbor had a deal in exchange for an easement on your property, you would expect them to live up to their side of the CONTRACT. Why you cannot understand the concept of PAYMENT FOR PUBLIC LAND I don't know.

Why does it seem like

By anon
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 8:01pm

The funds are only going to allocated to certain parts of the city. Shouldn't the funds be evenly distributed?

Nope

By adamg
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 10:13pm

It was kids from Hyde/Jackson Square who found the old language.

So they're

By anon
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 1:02am

Fighting a violation of contractual language by looking to hord the cash and further violate said language.

Aw, poor bubbeleh's tender feelings are hurt

By adamg
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 9:04am

Don't worry, the Jackson Square skating rink will be open to everybody.

Until it opens, though, ask yourself what you did to uncover this wrong.

No fair

By Sock_Puppet
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 8:58am

Those kids from Jackson Square get everything good. Why can't the City spend more money in West Roxbury?

/snark

Honest question

By anon
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 10:22am

What youth programs has the city provided for that area. Are tax paying city residents not deserving of programs for their children because they're white.

How progressive if you.

Best Comment Ever

By Roslindaler
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 10:51am

Enough said.

Thats it???

By eastiesveryown
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 8:50pm

I say the city/state pull their license to operate until Boston Properties or whomever owns the garden pays up!

License to operate?

By Will LaTulippe
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 9:26am

It's a (expletive) arena. It just sits there until somebody performs inside of it.

I'm really not comfortable with the idea that the TD Garden simply exists because government granted it a license.

Also, the scenario you describe would entail rich white people not getting something that they want from government. Yeahhhhhhh.

What about the rest of us?

By SteveE
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 9:53pm

I mean that's nice and all that they'll donate a portion of what they owe specifically to the Jackson Sq project, but what is their plan moving forward? The students found that they owe $10.8 million total over the years. It's almost as if they're saying here take $1.65 million for your project as a nice gesture and laying the issue to rest.

If I read this right, TD

By anon
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 11:37pm

If I read this right, TD garden was exempt from property tax until 2009. Sweet deal.
https://www.cityofboston.gov/assessing/search/?pid...

Just a few blocks away from the Garden

By Neal
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 12:20am

Is the DCR's Lee Pool, shuttered soon after the Garden opened and since fallen into disrepair. Imagine all of the good that money would have done for the Lee and other recreational facilities around Boston, had Delaware North kept to its commitment.

DCR (& supposed poverty)

By hrose
Fri, 08/04/2017 - 10:29am

This. The DCR has pled poverty for YEARS. All of a sudden now they have $1M to contribute towards a project?

The project is worthwhile, don't get me wrong, but what about the crappy sidewalks along Memorial Drive? Or how poorly the signals operate on that stretch of road? Or how the DCR has to get "sponsorship" to plow sidewalks?

And I see your calculations but 1.65 million seems light to me.