From the beginning, CATER gadflies have scoffed at the suggestion that their legal battle — waged in partnership with liberal San Diego litigator Cory Briggs and his Inland Oversight Committee cutout – to obstruct the Anaheim Convention Center expansion would have a negative economic impact on the city. [And if it did, their attitude has been “so what?”]
It’s ironic that a group styling itself as a Coalition of Anaheim Taxpayers for Economic Responsibility would be so economically irresponsible.
This August 22 story in the OC Register shows CATER’s deluded attitude is…deluded, and could have cost the Anaheim Convention Center at least two major conventions:
The expansion turmoil has prompted at least one trade-group executive to says his organization would look at options to leave if the expansion doesn’t materialize.
“We’d have to assess our options and current growth. We’ve been going with the knowledge and assumption that it’d be happening,” said Adam Andersen, group show director for New Hope Natural Media, which runs the Natural Products Expo West.
NAMM’s chief echoed that sentiment:
The top executive of the National Association of Music Merchants said he is cautiously optimistic the expansion will be completed a year before NAMM’s long-term contract expires in 2018.
“We are counting on the expansion to hold us. We probably could inhale or tighten our belt for a year or two, or even three, until the expansion is completed,” said Joe Lamond, NAMM’s president and chief executive officer. NAMM is the biggest trade group to visit Anaheim’s convention center.
In the past, Lamond has said an expansion is vital to the trade show staying in Anaheim. Organizers have said the show generates $91.5 million in spending at local restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions like Disneyland and elsewhere.
Greg Diamond de la Brea, CATER’s lawyer and gadfly fixture at Anaheim City Council meetings, intoned with ominous intent:
CATER has filed one lawsuit to stop the financing of the expansion and likely will file another in response to a second vote in July, to sell $300 million worth of bonds to pay for the project, said Greg Diamond, a lawyer representing the group of local residents.
“This is not a done deal,” Diamond said.
Rather, Diamond will file another response as Cory Briggs’ does, so he’ll something to draft off.
So, Diamond, Cynthia Ward, Brian Chuchua (and the indeterminate number of claimed but unidentified CATER “members”) want the city council to punt its decision-making responsibility to a city-wide vote that is not required by law – no matter how much economic havoc that delay would wreak. hey will have their non-mandatory vote no matter how much damage they cause! There’s economic responsibility for you.
Anaheim Blog 
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August 26, 2014 at 10:52 am
Jerry
Flawed argument, Matt.
That’s like saying we need to buy something worth $100,000 because if we don’t, we’ll lose $1,000
Convention centers are money losers everywhere. Have been for decades.
August 26, 2014 at 10:53 am
Jerry
To be clear, I meant *spend $100,000 — because if we don’t, we’ll lose $1,000.
Makes no sense.
August 26, 2014 at 11:33 am
Proud Colonist
Addressing comments from Jerry – you are wrong. I don’t know what convention centers you’ve looked at if any but Anaheim’s convention center has generated millions for decades. If you have specifics that relates to Anaheim, let’s hear it.
August 26, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Dan Chmielewski
CATER has already cost Anaheim taxpayers $61,000 in external legal fees; just what will be cut from the budget to make up for that cost?
August 26, 2014 at 3:08 pm
James Robert Reade
In honor of Anaheim Mayor Jack Dutton may the expansion continue!!!
August 26, 2014 at 7:29 pm
BigBoxOfRedWhine
“Nearly” ?? Slow day in Reality over there? Maybe you can get more mileage out of these, also from the “Never Happened” file- “That Asteroid in May, NEARLY hit the Earth!” and “Al Gore was NEARLY elected President!” Have fun!
August 26, 2014 at 9:16 pm
Matthew Cunningham
That’s an interesting take: CATER’s failure so far to tube the expansion renders them blameless?
How about this?: “Despite CATER’s best efforts to derail the expansion, responsible leadership by Anaheim’s council kept the expansion moving forward and narrowly avoided the loss of at least two major conventions.”
August 27, 2014 at 10:51 am
BigBoxOfRedWhine
Re-statement does nothing to improve veracity. I’ll bet you led the class for “Creative Writing” . Outside of their campaign literature, Anaheim Blog must be one of the few places one can find “responsible leadership” and “Anaheim’s Council” together in a sentence.