When I first heard a movie theater was going up near Fresno State, I was thrilled. Then I got a car, and River Park wasn̢۪t quite as far away as it once was.
That near-campus 14-screen super-ultra-megaplex is still in the works as part of Campus Pointe, the still-pending development project to be nestled between the Save Mart Center and Highway 168.
If the suits in charge of the project ever met on campus, they must have flown in by helicopter — there’s no way they could drive here and think Fresno State needs more traffic.
A quick look at one of several official Campus Pointe press releases has me wondering — just how much “overflow classroom spaceâ€Â will the theatre provide during Oscar-release season?
Even if the theatre promises to show “art filmsâ€Â how exactly will it make any money, or a small enough deficit that the hotels and apartments nearby will cover it with profits?
Numbers and details, beyond acreage, number of rooms, and barest specious economic impact are scarce. President John D. Welty quotes a 2005 survey that reported Fresno State provided more than 6,500 worth of full-time jobs, and had a $500-million-plus effect on the regional economy.
What̢۪s projected for Campus Pointe?
Swimming through the sea of old press releases, there̢۪s some help in this particular one, but not much. It makes the claim that each student living off-campus spends an average of almost $10,000 in the local economy. Will Campus Pointe really make $1 million for every hundred students as it claims?
I̢۪m thinking that just because students live off-campus doesn̢۪t mean they don̢۪t live locally already. I̢۪m thinking that near-campus living within spitting distance of a highway might not be as attractive as it sounds. I̢۪m thinking mixing public and private funds and efforts tends to be a legal nightmare.
Even if it isn̢۪t subsidized by state funds, as a press release in defense of the project claims, how much say exactly does Fresno State have in the project? How much say will Fresno State retain once it gets off the ground? Do we just hold the lease? How much will go to whoever invests in the Hyatt, and so on?
How? How much? They̢۪ve already bored us to death with what, where, when and with their reasons why.
These press releases are months old, but just because the sound and fury has died down doesn̢۪t mean it̢۪s over. It̢۪s almost impossible to find out anything, much less anything new.
I Googled Kashian Enterprises, the dudes to whom that land parcel is leased. To no avail, by the way, but that might be because they̢۪re a local developer whose biggest controversy so far has been Campus Pointe. Fair enough.
Then I found that Lance-Kashian & Company, a related firm, has a Web site. It was very helpful.
Maybe there are details of the plan somewhere, but I̢۪m skeptical. If Campus Pointe were so great, you̢۪d think the nuts and bolts would be easier to find.
Jill • Sep 27, 2007 at 3:13 pm
I hope the accountacy reports were accurate about the number of newly available full-time student parking places, and jobs created by this expansion.
What a laugh.
Jill • Sep 27, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I hope the accountacy reports were accurate about the number of newly available full-time student parking places, and jobs created by this expansion.
What a laugh.
Ralph Macchio • Sep 22, 2007 at 10:40 pm
The ultimate irony is that this place will be operated (or is it owned) by Kashian Enterprises—- same as Riverpark. I wonder if they will have the ability to put a nitetime curfew for kids on this place as well. many Fresno State students aren’t 18. Can a tuition paying Fresno State student (u-18) actually get kicked off of campus owned land when the sun goes down? Answers?
Ralph Macchio • Sep 23, 2007 at 5:40 am
The ultimate irony is that this place will be operated (or is it owned) by Kashian Enterprises—- same as Riverpark. I wonder if they will have the ability to put a nitetime curfew for kids on this place as well. many Fresno State students aren’t 18. Can a tuition paying Fresno State student (u-18) actually get kicked off of campus owned land when the sun goes down? Answers?
Michael Stivik • Sep 20, 2007 at 10:03 pm
The Campus Point (Debacle according to MG) project needs to be halted by any nonviolent means. This campus can hardly support the student population, can’t provide for such things asparking, and students were conned into the save mart center (caps not needed) project. Let Welty know of your displeasure.
Michael Stivik • Sep 21, 2007 at 5:03 am
The Campus Point (Debacle according to MG) project needs to be halted by any nonviolent means. This campus can hardly support the student population, can’t provide for such things asparking, and students were conned into the save mart center (caps not needed) project. Let Welty know of your displeasure.
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 20, 2007 at 8:17 pm
In that case, feel free to repost. I have talked to all empowered parties here at The Collegian, and there were no comments purposefully deleted from the post.
The Web-Spe@k is up on this topic. Please note: only comments posted in that thread will be used in publication, not comments here.
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 21, 2007 at 3:17 am
In that case, feel free to repost. I have talked to all empowered parties here at The Collegian, and there were no comments purposefully deleted from the post.
The Web-Spe@k is up on this topic. Please note: only comments posted in that thread will be used in publication, not comments here.
He's right • Sep 20, 2007 at 3:50 pm
other comments were here a day or two ago. But i would guess it was probably something technical that led to the deleted comments.
He's right • Sep 20, 2007 at 10:50 pm
other comments were here a day or two ago. But i would guess it was probably something technical that led to the deleted comments.
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 20, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I have very carefully monitored reaction to this post, and have noticed no removed comments. I am not the only person with who can monitor deletion or removal of comments, but to my knowledge, no such thing has happened.
If you’ll note the text at the very bottom of the page, “The Collegian Online is a public forum for student expression.” That’s legal language for “President Welty has no editorial power here.”
I can say with reasonable authority that the only reason comments would be removed would be if someone tried posting links to obscene materials, including but not limited to hate speech and pornography.
Benjamin Baxter • Sep 20, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I have very carefully monitored reaction to this post, and have noticed no removed comments. I am not the only person with who can monitor deletion or removal of comments, but to my knowledge, no such thing has happened.
If you’ll note the text at the very bottom of the page, “The Collegian Online is a public forum for student expression.” That’s legal language for “President Welty has no editorial power here.”
I can say with reasonable authority that the only reason comments would be removed would be if someone tried posting links to obscene materials, including but not limited to hate speech and pornography.
Xango Vulviis • Sep 20, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Stop this insanity at once. The last thing the Cedar-Shaw-Chestnut campus area needs is a strip mall development. Where are the other posts on this matter? Has Welty’s admin. forced the Collegian to take down other comments indicative of a backlash against the most recent decision? Yesterday, I viewed about four or five negative comments regarding Campus Pointe. Today, I am presently viewing only two posts. Has campus admin. told the paper to make any removals? Benjamin?
Xango Vulviis • Sep 20, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Stop this insanity at once. The last thing the Cedar-Shaw-Chestnut campus area needs is a strip mall development. Where are the other posts on this matter? Has Welty’s admin. forced the Collegian to take down other comments indicative of a backlash against the most recent decision? Yesterday, I viewed about four or five negative comments regarding Campus Pointe. Today, I am presently viewing only two posts. Has campus admin. told the paper to make any removals? Benjamin?
Mike Foster • Sep 20, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Good thing its starting in two weeks:
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/143538.html
Mike Foster • Sep 20, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Good thing its starting in two weeks:
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/143538.html
gm • Sep 19, 2007 at 11:59 am
Don’t let anyone kid you Benjamin. There is nothing pending about this project. It is going forward whether local groups agencies or governments agree or not. Welty and VP Matson have both said that this project is on state land and will go forward even if efforts at compromise are not reached. Not to worry though. Our local politicians and officials are jumping into bed with the project as evidenced by the announcement today of the arrangement with the city of Fresno. There may be some great things for the campus in the project and if it all works out, then the administration deserves credit. However, if the project drags on and on, exacerbates the already bad traffic problems and proves to be of little benefit to students, then a host of people need to be held accountable for the decision.
gm • Sep 19, 2007 at 6:59 pm
Don’t let anyone kid you Benjamin. There is nothing pending about this project. It is going forward whether local groups agencies or governments agree or not. Welty and VP Matson have both said that this project is on state land and will go forward even if efforts at compromise are not reached. Not to worry though. Our local politicians and officials are jumping into bed with the project as evidenced by the announcement today of the arrangement with the city of Fresno. There may be some great things for the campus in the project and if it all works out, then the administration deserves credit. However, if the project drags on and on, exacerbates the already bad traffic problems and proves to be of little benefit to students, then a host of people need to be held accountable for the decision.