By Jim Briley
Pay no attention to polls nor campaign signs and especially NOT letters to the editor.
Fact 1. Early May, 2006 - Dave Hardman of the Chamber of Commerce meets with the Board of Ogden Golf and County Club (OGCC) to give a sales pitch for the proposed gondola project.
Fact 2. May 31, 2006 - Katie Berrett of Pinnacle Marketing calls Clay Thomas, President of the Ogden Golf and Country Club, several times to persuade him to endorse the gondola project.
Fact 3. June 5, 2006 - Katie Berrett issues a Press Release stating that the Board of Directors of Ogden Golf and Country Club officially released a statement supporting the development of the proposed Malan’s Basin Development.
Fact 4. June 6, 2006 - OGCC member Jim Briley receives a copy by e-mail of the Pinnacle Press Release with an OGCC letter dated May 31 attached.
Fact 5. June 7, 2006 - OGCC member Briley confronts club manager and Board President Clay Thomas as to this endorsement by the Board when no member was aware of the endorsement and was never polled on the membership support for such an endorsement.
Fact 6. OGCC member Briley learns that Clay Thomas had never seen the letter after it was written either. It had gone out on a piece of paper with the OGCC logo at the top and had been written by the club manager.
Fact 7. OGCC member Briley asks that the Board rescind the letter of endorsement and endorse the gondola as individuals and not for the OGCC membership as the membership is divided on the gondola issue.
Fact 8. June 19, 2006 - Standard-Examiner Letters to the Editor publishes a letter from Katie Berrett entitled "Signs of support appear in Ogden", which includes this statement:
The Ogden Golf and Country Club came out with a statement recognizing it as the “most significant economic development opportunity for our community in the last century”.
Fact 9: June 19, 2006 - When Katie Berrett is challenged on her statement which implies that all OGCC members endorse the goldola she agrees to submit a correction to her letter to the Standard-Examiner.
“You can fool all the people all of the time if the advertising is right and the budget is big enough”
-Hollywood Producer Joseph E. Levine, quoted in the London Daily Express
Update 6/20/06 12:22 p.m. MT:We have received by email this morning a pdf copy of the 5/31/06 OGCC letter in Mr. Briley's "Fact 4" paragraph above. We have converted that file to html, and embedded a link in the original text above. Curiously, the copy of the letter that we received bears no signature.
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24 comments:
Interesting post.
The Lift Ogden gaggle and its hired guns, Pinnacle Marketing, are not engaged in a public discussion of the merits of the gondola scheme. They are engaged in a marketing campaign to sell an empty shell of an idea for which they have not, as yet, produced any evidence that the scheme is workable and can succeed.
They are doing what they are good at: pitching the marks and bamboozling the buyers so they mistake smoke and mirrors and pie-in-the-sky promises for reality and agree to transfer one of Ogden's primary assets for attracting new residents, businesses and visitors, the Mt. Ogden parklands, to a private real estate speculator so he can build a gated community of vacation villas for privileged.
And so the citizens will also agree to build a gondola system from down town to WSU with public money which will primarily serve to deliver customers to a private resort development.
"Why, madam, I swear this car was only driven by a little old lady once a week to church and back.... No, you don't really need to see the speedometer and look under the hood. You can trust me. Now, if you'll just sign this check right here...."
Don't be a pussy, Curmudgeon.
Call it what it is:
FRAUD!
Jim, your letter should appear in the SE where Ms. FancyPants had hers printed. Good job on sniffing out the rats and exposing them for what they are -- scheming, lying, desperate, unethical manipulators!
Good job, Jim! Thanx for laying out the timeline.
How can supposedly intelligent persons...businessmen/women be so darned dumb and gullible??
Have they lost their moral compass and therefore their way?
Such underhandedness and manipulation of the 'story' by Pinnacle and LO supporters only speaks volumes of the worthlessness of this gondola/land grab.
Persons of integrity and honor do not play dirty tricks and lie. Oh yeah...LIE!!!
Why is this not obvious to the LO sychopants? Doean't it bother them, even a teensy bit, that their MAYOR is perpetrating a scam?
500 MILLION dollar INVESTMENT! HAH!!
How naive are these shysters that they think the rest of us are falling for that big lie? There is no investment.
It's interesting to read the remarks of Godfrey/Peterson, et al, from a year ago, and even months and weeks ago and see how the scenario keeps changing. Talk about a finger in the wind!
It is my opinion that Peterson doesn't give a fig about building a ski resort at Malan's. Having worked at SnowBasin, he should have read the memo that his Father-in-law wasn't interested in Malan's because he knew it wouldn't be a successful ski area nor resort.
It is my opinion that Peterson is only interested in a land grab to build those expensive 'foot prints' for the 'smart and educated' folks who will INVEST in Chris's retirement.
If Peterson wants to build his gondola AND construction trams creeping up the mountainside to construct his Tyrolean resort, THEN BUILD THE (&^^$%^&* things!!! On his own...with his wife's money...if she's still around and supports him and his big plans.
All that was his idea. So how come Godfrey extrapolated that into a downtown gondola to WSU????
Who the blazes wants to ride in a sloooooow gondola car 35 ft over Harrison Blvd to WSU??? Not students. They have jobs, families and other activities that require a car to get around.
Sheesh! This is all so ludicrous. Get the Junction up and filled with all those businesses Godfrey promised would come as soon as the thing is built or under construction. So? We're waiting.....
Kudos to the Treehouse Museum. The building is lovely from the outside and I'm anxious to visit.
Hey, Gary Neilson....how's your subsidized gym and the Fat Cats Bowling Alley coming along? Other than city paid memberships for city employees, how many members do you have who pay out of their pockets?
I encourage Harmer to encourage the power company to 'give a little' now, so that West Liberty Foods can build in Ogden and that will be an economic boon to this community....so many families will be helped. WLF needs the cooperation of the power company AND this administration that SAYS they want businesses to locate here, even if they don't have a pair of skiis on the premises.
Real jobs! Jobs for real people NOW. Drag the mayor's head out of the clouds and get him to work taking care of the city's business.
Peterson can show us all how sincere and solvent he is by constructing HIS gondola with HIS family dough, and leave the rest of us alone. Especially the mayor. He has work to do....so go home, Chris.
Wow, I wish I could say that this is unbelievable, but it isn't. I am sick and tired of the gondola proponets tactics. What other lies, mistruths, and backroom deals are out there that we don't know about? Gimme a break!
This is a bit off topic, but something I think we should be aware of. Although the Ogden City Council agenda does not appear in the paper, (again,) the following does:
Agendas:
A summary of agendas of public meetings to be held today:
...Ogden Planning Commission
5 p.m. 2549 Washington Blvd.
Presentation of information from National APA Conference
Discussion, dates and steps for Mount Ogden plan.
Page 6B. Am hoping someone who contributes to WCF will attend and tell us what goes on, since the Mount Ogden plan of course involves Mount Ogden Park, and it would be good to know the timeline for that process.
Thanks for the pointer, Jennifer.
dian:
I believe that the Planning Commission meet is tomorrow (Wednesday). They usually meet on Wednesday, anyway.
Thanks, Jennifer. If I sounded exasperated at the lack of it today, it is only because I think the public posting of these agendas very desirable. Posting them in the Sunday paper is great, and I hope it continues (preferably in the same place since I seem to be having a learning curve problem with this one.)
Anonymous, you are right about the planning commission! Again, my mistake. Read the top headline, skipped over the "Wednesday," and thought the commission was today. So sorry about that.
Seem to be batting 1,000 today, hmm.
A most challenging question is who is writing out the checks to PINNACLE MARKETING as they surely aren't promoting the gondola out of the goodness of their hearts.
PINNACLE MARKETING seems to be involved everywhere relating to this gondola proposal.
Are the checks coming out of the Mayor's fund on which he refuses to divulge information to the Council?
Are the checks coming out of the Chamber of Commerce's funds without approval by Chamber members?
Who is paying for the full page ads appearing in the Standard listing names of supporters of Lift Ogden? It would be most interesting to see the financials on the Lift Ogden non-profit organization which have to be made public at some point.
You don't really think Chris Peterson is actually coughing up money to promote his ideas do you?
So many pertinent questions unanswered.
Pinnacle Marketing is one of the firms Ogden City works with:
The city has stepped up its marketing efforts recently in an attempt to reverse some negative perceptions about Ogden.
It hired local firm Pinnacle Marketing, which also attended the recent trade show in Las Vegas, to market the city regionally and nationally.
Info about how city and Pinnacle are promoting the ski concept in this article:
Snow business, Monday, February 27, 2006
By Jeff DeMoss, Standard-Examiner staff
For a blast from the past, see what was being said in August 2005. The gondola project/ski resort timetable as well as information about the Mayor's time outlay is detailed here:
Ogden Works to Build ‘Ski Company Town’ of the Future
Thanks for this article from the August '05 SKIPRESSWORLD.
First of all this is the first time I have ever seen Godfrey with a smile on his face. I had always thought he had facial paralysis.
Godfrey's facts for the skiers of the world are as warped as everything else he says.
There is no way I could be on the slopes of any of 3 local ski areas in 20 minutes and I live in Ogden.
I resent his representing Ogden with all his half truths about taking a gondola from Weber University up to Snow Basin.
What a jerk for a mayor!
Read the Standard Examiner Opinion Letters! See the lawn signs! The majority is speaking out! Lift Ogden!
Captain RedBeard asked for ideas.
At one of the Mt. Ogden neighborhood meetings someone suggested having a plaza that people could walk to. Having lots of outdoor seating could make such a plaza a gathering place. I could see something like this having a bookstore, bakery/coffee shop, and a Wild Oats Market or equivalent that sold drinks, salads and sandwiches. WiFi might be nice too.
Between WSU students,faculty, and staff I'd hope an area like this would thrive. Food options on the WSU campus aren't great. Personally, I'm tired of driving to SLC to shop for foods and items I can't get in Ogden. The person making the suggestion pointed out that, like many others, they walk the trails all the time anyway, so walking from their home to a destination like that wouldn't be such a big deal.
Also the suggestion of a Hispanic market area seems to have lost momentum. Again, a small plaza with food stores, a restaurant, etc could be a neighborhood attraction. A good percentage of Ogden's residents are Hispanic and certainly should be consulted on something like this.
For most months of the year, the chance to eat outdoors and enjoy the weather, view, and clean air is something we could certainly cultivate.
in the artical godfrey got one thing right. godfrey said "He admits there are no solid financial models as to the real financial benefits for Ogden that the ski industry can actually deliver."
so with that said why is it he is pushing so hard for all this ski industry. and captain red beard you should know that this is america and we do have freedom of speach in this country, so don't try to tell people to watch there lanuage unless you what to shut up also.
The duplicity continues...
Just over at ogdengondola.com
where advocates of the Godfrey gondola/gondola real estate specualtion are still insisting the Peterson gondola will connect with Snow Basin. From the website:
It [the gondola] provides the ability for Snowbasin patrons to use the gondola and not drive to the resort.
How many times, exactly, does the Snow Basin management have to write to the Mayor and his Merrie Band to ask them to stop peddling this particular lie in order to sell his gondola/gondola scheme? We know from stories published in theStandard Examiner and the Salt Lake Tribune that Snow Basin management has been informing the mayor for the better part of a year that they are not interested in having the gondola connect with Snow Basin Ski Resort and they will not permit it. But the Godfrey Gondola Amen Chorus just keeps on peddling the lie....
I understand their problem. It's really hard to pitch the marks and get them to sign onto the bamboozle if you have to stick to the facts. But still, at some point a sense of decency ought to kick in.
Shouldn't it?
Curmudgeon,
griftogden.com has a new cartoon about the "Snowbasin connection", stressing Snowbasin position.
Captain...lighten up. I know the construction has started...but who are the businesses that your 'lustrous' mayor promised would be flocking in here to be part of the Junction?? Don't you think they would have revealed themselves by now...seeing as how the construction 'has begun'?
So, do YOU pay your own Gold's Gym fees? Hurrah!! How successful would Gary's gym be if all the paid-by-city memberships dried up?
Do you think the citizens of Ogden should pay for a select few to have memberships at Gold's? Is that your moral compass?
I would like to see the block of Monroe and 24th...where the old IGA supermarket was made into an INTERNATIONAL center. How fun would it be to have Polish, German, Hispanic, Asian, French restaurants, bakery, shops and entertainment by these various cultures? I've asked before: who has visited Olvera Street in Los Angeles? One block long, just a taste of Old Mexico. NO gangs, no loiterers...just a visit to another culture.
Anon Too: Are you thinking this way too? I'd like to see outdoor dining in Ogden...awnings on all the stores..fresh paint on the storefronts, lovely hanging baskets of flowers up and down WA Blvd, esp. I'd like to see the bike and horse patrol, and the cops walking the beat.
I think all this would add charm, nostalgia, friendliness, beauty and a sense of security to Ogden.
I attended the CC mtg tonite.
So many LO's stood to say they were business owners, apparently successful. Most were from Ogden who attended schools here, and graduated from WSU. While telling us this about themselves and wanting us to see that they ARE successful, in the same breath they just had to make the disingenuous point that no one wants to put their children in Ogden schools. Ogden is a dead town in need of Peterson's 1/2 Bil'investment' (riiiiight), and only the gondola to nowhere is going to solve our problems and make those WSU grads proud of where they matriculated.
So which is it? Proud of being from Ogden, educated in Ogden schools, grads of WSU AND successful without a gondola...or that goal can't be achieved UNLESS Ogden has a gondola? Make up your minds.
I know: Ms Milner could stamp on each grad's diploma: Gondola Town U.
Mr Redbeard,
I WISH I had time to sit around in an armchair.
Sharon....thank you for answering the captain's remarks. I like the idea about an international center.
I saw you at the council meeting tonight.
I think Ed Allen and Malan were pretty much at a loss for something positive to say about the gondola when all they could add was that the sunset is something to see from the top of Malan's.
So? Walk up there!!! For real beauty, try looking UP AT the mountain when the sun is setting. The mountains are aglow and breathtaking. So is the view of the lake at sunset.
One doesn't need a gondola to enjoy our beautiful sunsets!
I couldn't stay late at the meeting. Does anyone know what the council decided for or against the firemen and police in their closed meeting?
Who was that cute woman in the T shirt with the NO Gondola sign on the back....like a slash through a cigarette for "no smoking"?
Sharon:
Only one observation on your mall redevelopment comments. You seem, sometimes, to be almost hoping it will fail. Whether it was a wise use of RDA authority or not, it's abuilding now and Ogden has nothing to gain from its failure. I don't know if it will be successful in the end or not. But I hope that the skeptics were wrong and it succeeds. Hard put to see what we gain if it does not.
Curm....you are waaay wrong!
I want the mall to succeed. We are bonded for it for many years..and the mall will help keep us afloat.
I'd just like to see all the new businesses that Godfrey promised would come 'if we build it'. I also was adamantly opposed to the manner in which this mayor went about getting approval for this mall.
Of course, with the 'old' council, he could and did get approval for every sneaky thing he wanted.
I never opposed the mall...only subsidizing Neilson and Fat Cats.
I opposed Gofrey's MO of 'crisis managment' and his lies.
So? Is he keeping the big secret of those business people? Why?
Shouldn't we be told who they are since we're paying for that mall?
Did he ever have tenants for the mall??
Just like with this gondola scheme: lots of questions...no answers...just hints of greater things to come. On whose overburdened backs?
You folks are amazing. Seems to me there is very little even-handedness on this site, which I just stumbled upon. Sure, let's just continue in the slow nose-dive Ogden's been in for the last 30 years. At least Godfrey is not afraid to take a stand on something and try to think "outside the box."
I'm one of those Ogden natives (born here in the late 40's) who is chagrined at remembering what Ogden once was, and willing to take a risk to see it perhaps become that way again.
You folks are preaching to the choir on this website -- you are all in the same line to vote!
Anonymous said... In your mind we should just blindly follow the mayor and his ski contingent down the path - just do WHATEVER THEY deem prudent. After all, they must surely have all the answers.
Most of those of us who were against the rec center were really not against IT per se - we bjected to having to pay almost $20 m of OUR money to build it!
We are all well aware that we need to revitalyze this town - you are not the only one to be that prescient (By the way, I have lived here 60 plus years - I knew this city when it was alive and vibrant - I don't need you to remind me of that!
This "maybe it isn't the proper thing to do but we have to do something" crap is really not, if you will excuse me, at all intelligent. I seem to remember a mall that was going to be our savior; we know how that turned out. That was also the result of "forward thinking people" - the "deep thinkers with all the answers.
Maybe the Malin Basin thing will work - maybe it will not. But I can tell you for sure (my opinion of course) the idea of a gondola from Wall to WSU is just plain idotic!!
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