Keene Officials Consider Stadium Plan

By Carolyn Martin on Thursday, January 3, 2002.

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Keene city officials are considering a proposal to develop several acres in downtown Keene. A stadium, ice rink and office park would take up 10 acres near Main Street. Many say the plan has polarized the city. Carolyn Martin, of the Keene Sentinel, has more.

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KEENE CITY OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP SEVERAL ACRES IN DOWNTOWN KEENE. MANY SAY THE PLAN IS POLARIZING THE CITY, DIVIDING RESIDENTS AND CITY OFFICIALS INTO SUPPORTERS OR OPPONENTS. CAROLYN MARTIN, OF THE KEENE
SENTINEL, HAS MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.

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(NAT SOUND MAIN STREET NOISE)

DOWNTOWN KEENE IS BEST KNOW FOR ITS WIDE, BLVD-STYLE MAIN STREET. THIS IS THE HEART OF THE ELM CITY'S BUSINESS DISTRICT, USUALLY BUSTLING WITH ACTIVITY.

( NAT SOUND QUIETER SOUNDS AROUND THE VACCANT PROPERTY)

TO THE EAST OF DOWNTOWN, JUST BEHIND THE MAIN ST. STORES, THE SCENE DRASTICALLY CHANGES. HERE, A LARGE FIELD AND DIRT PARKING LOT DOMINATE THE LANDSCAPE. 10 ACRES OF ABANDONED RAILROAD LAND, OWNED BY THE CITY, HAVE BEEN UNDEVELOPED FOR 2 DECADES.

NOW THE PROPERTY IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

DEVELOPERS WANT TO BUILD A $17 MILLION SPORTS-OFFICE COMPLEX HERE.

MONADNOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP., A KEENE-BASED NONPROFIT GROUP, HOPES TO BUY THE LAND FOR $1. THE DEVELOPERS WOULD BUILD A 2,000-SEAT STADIUM, AN INDOOR ICE ARENA, TWO OFFICE BUILDINGS, AND A NEW YMCA.

THE PROPOSAL IS STIRRING UP EMOTIONS AND PROVOKING STRONG REACTIONS AMONG RESIDENTS AND CITY COUNCILORS LIKE ROBERT FARRAH.

FARRAH: I DON'T THINK IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH DOWNTOWN KEENE. IT DOESN'T FIT ESTHETICALLY. ITS OPERATION IS INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE KNOW IS DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS SMALL SHOPS, SOME OFFICES AND SOME HOMES IN THE FORM OF APARTMENTS. THIS JUST DOESN'T FIT. (25 SECONDS)

STADIUM OPPONENTS LIKE FARRAH CONTEND THE PLAN WITH HURT KEENE'S QUAINT CHARACTER, BRINGING IN MORE TRAFFIC, NOISE AND POLLUTION. BUT PROPONENTS ARGUE THE CITY NEEDS AN ECONOMIC
SHOT IN THE ARM.

CITY COUNCILOR FRED PARSELLS LIKES THE SPORTS ARENA. HE PREDICTS IT WOULD DRAW MORE VISITORS TO KEENE.

((BITE PARSELLS: CLEARLY, DOWNTOWN KEENE IS AS GOOD NOW AS IT HAS BEEN IN MANY A YEAR. BUT WE CAN'T BE COMPLACENT AND SAY WE'RE SO GOOD TODAY, BECAUSE THE FIGHT FOR PEOPLE'S RETAIL DOLLARS IS ONGOING. SO YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE ALERT AND ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE. (22 SECS)

CITY OFFICIALS SELECTED THE MULTI-USE PROJECT FROM SIX PROPOSALS SUBMITTED LAST SPRING. THE KEENE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON THE PLAN, VOTING TO APPROVE OR DENY IT.

COUNCILOR PAULA PHILIPS SAYS SHE'S STILL UNDECIDED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.
I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF CONSULTING. I'VE ASKED ANYONE, EVEN THE PERSON WHO REPAIRS MY HEATER, HOW PEOPLE ARE FEELING, AND GETTING A VARIETY OF ISSUES, PLUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERTISE IN THE ISSUES. THAT'S WHAT'S SO DIFFICULT--THAT PEOPLE I RESPECT ARE VERY POSITIVE AND VERY NEGATIVE ABOUT IT. SO IT'S REALLY A TOUGH DECISION. (23 SECS)

CITY OFFICIALS EXPECT TO HEAR FROM KEENE RESIDENTS AT A PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT. THE FULL CITY COUNCIL COULD VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.

IN KEENE, THIS IS CAROLYN MARTIN FOR NHPR NEWS.