Downtown improves if people live, work there

To the editor,

The current discussion about where to build new city facilities isn’t about how to best serve the people of Poplar Bluff. It’s about the right people getting paid. There are millions of dollars up for grabs and our august aristocracy is fighting for their share.

The obvious solution to the city hall question is to convert that ‘white elephant’ coliseum into all the space the city will ever need. The coliseum has failed because the rich have left downtown for the woods and don’t want to venture any deeper into Poplar Bluff than 8 Points. No one wants to drive through two miles of poverty to attend an event at the coliseum.

If they do, they will drive right past my restaurant to dine on the strip because downtown is dark and scary and full of urban outdoorsmen.

Downtown revitalization has failed because, again, the right people have to get paid and the revitalizers don’t own the property they want to revitalize. Downtown is a bummer because dealing with city hall or court or jail or drug rehab is a bummer.

Why take all that misery and put it in the beautiful new section of the city?

City hall belongs downtown where things are naturally miserable. The coliseum would make an impressive city hall, there’s plenty of space, ample parking and our city officials could keep fit swimming in the pool.

Downtown will be revitalized if people live, work and have a reason to be there. If city government moves out, there will be even less reason to be downtown and we might as well bulldoze it flat and plant corn.

Mark H. Mercer

Downtown

Poplar Bluff