Letters to the editor | Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022: Beware downtown Modesto stadium
Beware downtown Modesto stadium
Re “Modesto, Stanislaus must not be left holding bag for downtown stadium” (Page 1C, Feb. 6): Many communities across the land have swallowed the bait that a publicly funded sports complex is necessary to have a thriving community, attract high wage-earning citizens, attract new businesses, and keep young local talent from leaving. In many if not most cases, when the promised “manna” failed to arrive those taxpayers were left holding the bag of debt which they could not let go and continue to pay millions annually.
Let the proponents of this folly list the success stories of areas similar to ours regarding demographics, climate, average income, proximity to major sports and entertainment. Do they really believe San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle et al were not thriving before professional sports moved in?
The cost estimate of $85 to $122 million — quite a range — would be a good link to our continuing insanity, namely the California High Speed Rail system, originally estimated to cost $35 billion and go in service in 2020 and lately re-estimated at $100 billion with a start-up in the mid 2030s. Let the proponents make their pitch to investment bankers and insurance companies who would jump at the chance to finance such an economically feasible scheme — oops, plan.
Clifford Nagle, Riverbank
Rehab John Thurman Field
Re “Modesto, Stanislaus must not be left holding bag for downtown stadium” (Page 1C, Feb. 6): I’m an avid baseball fan. I have full season tickets with the Stockton Ports and a partial season ticket plan with the Modesto Nuts. I live in Tracy and support both teams. I also have a subscription with The Modesto Bee and The Stockton Record. I was raised in Modesto and attended many Modesto A’s baseball games. I’m 71 years old.
One very important part of this plan for the new stadium is fan parking. There is no parking lot. I was told there will be “shuttle rides available, from our municipal parking garage” Can we get some input on this dilemma?
Personally, I believe redoing our stadium at John Thurmond Field would be more feasible. Use the adjacent golf course for additional parking.
Dwaine Johnson, Tracy
Ukraine disaster looming
The most threatening event seen lately is the smiling handshake between China and Russia. What do they want in the near term? Russia wants to reassemble the Soviet Union. Russia has massed a lot of equipment on the Ukrainian border. We see tanks and other armored vehicles racing around. Estimates are over 100,000 soldiers.
There is a limiting factor hanging over an invasion: the spring thaw. I was stationed in Germany for seven years. The frozen ground is great for tanks to maneuver but after the thaw it is impossible mud. If Russia is to invade it has to be soon.
China has for years claimed Taiwan is a breakaway Chinese province and not a country. Taiwan has a great computer chip production base. What a great opportunity for these two counties to simultaneously secure their fondest desires: Russia gets Ukraine and China gets Taiwan. Europe is dependent on Russia for gas to heat and generate electricity. We are dependent upon China for consumer goods. If they have decided to act on their wish list simultaneously it will be a nightmare for us.
What will the administration that perpetrated the disaster in Kabul do, as we gave up Afghanistan? They probably plan to step back and let it happen.
Bill Wood, Oakdale