Travel Lane County rewrites historical past after throwing Eugene Emeralds below the bus

In response to Travel Lane County’s latest letter to the editor in regards to the group’s push for an indoor sports activities facility, the argument that Eugene wants an enormous indoor sports activities facility to repair winter relies on a flawed premise. Winter in Oregon is gradual as a result of — newsflash — it’s winter. This shouldn’t be some Eugene-specific failure. It is the complete state.

Here is the clearest instance potential: Bend, a metropolis each Eugene resident is tremendous jealous of and sometimes wonders, “Why can’t we be more like Bend?” It’s dwelling to Mount Bachelor, the most important ski resort within the state — a spot individuals actually journey to for winter recreation. And the gradual season there may be — sure, you guessed it — winter.

If Bend can’t beat winter with snowboarding, snowboarding and nationally recognized outside recreation, how is an indoor fitness center in Eugene abruptly going to alter customer conduct?

The concept that tournaments will abruptly pack accommodations all season lengthy is wishful considering. Tournaments create small weekend bumps, not months of sustained occupancy. Anyone who has truly operated on this house is aware of that. But the native hoteliers won’t say that out loud due to their selfishness. They don’t care in regards to the group at giant.

The greatest lack of foresight on this total dialog is pretending an indoor sports activities complicated would have achieved extra for Eugene’s customer economic system than conserving the Eugene Emeralds, which I led as common supervisor for 15 years. I’m talking solely on behalf of myself, not the Emeralds or some other group. The Emeralds are a confirmed multi-generation group anchor that brings in tens of 1000’s of tourists, generates actual spending and offers the area one thing to rally round. Losing them does extra long-term harm to Eugene’s id and income than any hypothetical winter match will ever generate.

And right here is the half that the group deserves to listen to clearly. Travel Lane County was one of the decided voices pushing to terminate the Emeralds’ future in Eugene. Now all the work, momentum, outreach and political capital the Emeralds constructed to remain in Eugene is being recycled right into a pitch for an indoor sports activities facility. It is a basic bait and change. Take the Emeralds’ groundwork, block the Emeralds themselves after which use the identical speaking factors to promote a totally totally different venture. People see it and they don’t seem to be fallacious to really feel misled.

The fact is easy: Winter softness in Oregon shouldn’t be one thing you repair with concrete and a roof. Every vacation spot within the state offers with it, together with those with much more winter sights than Eugene. Weather, daylight and traveler habits don’t change as a result of somebody builds an indoor turf area.

What works is investing within the issues that already resonate with locals and guests. Professional baseball is a kind of issues. Eugene had that. Instead of supporting it, some individuals pushed it out the door.

So no, an indoor facility shouldn’t be going to rewrite the local weather or repair statewide seasonal patterns. But shedding the Emeralds is a direct hit to Eugene’s economic system, model and group id that no weekend match can change.