According to the Hartford Courant today, Mayor Pedro Segarra and his staff today were "shocked" to learn that a popular basketball program that has worked with Hartford's youth for 16 years would be moving to Waterbury.
Shocked? The proper term should be ashamed. With Segarra's high priced marketing staff, should they not have been on top of this. Did it not dawn on any of the braintrust "Geez, have you noticed the pro-am hasn't booked any school for 6 weeks like they usually do?". No one noticed that there were no planning meetings being held?" Or even that someone probably should reach out to the pro-am organizers and ask " How can we help you get this moving for this year?"
That's what sales people do. They chase the leads and make sure they are closing the deals. Not let them pack up and move to Waterbury without a fight.
Again, they should be shocked, embarrassed and all the other words that apply to incompetent individuals that are more concerned about salaries than moving Hartford forward and serving our youth.
If the pro-am has saved one Hartford child from street violence, it's value is priceless and we can't allow events like this to slip through our fingers.
The leadership vacuum keeps growing every day.
You can read the Courant's article here
From Hartford Activist
ReplyDeleteKevin - Based on the report in the Courant, it seems there is more to the story than what you perceive as a lack of competence at city hall. It also sounds as if the PRO -AM group did not use its popularity to secure funding that most likely would have been forthcoming from area corporations, businesses and even residents. This is what a non-profit does if it wants to survive and flourish.
Shouldn't the MECA brain Trust be in charge of this sort of thing? What do they do? They don't promote Hartford at all!
ReplyDeleteThey owe the City a ton of money. Let them leave
ReplyDeleteUNBELIEVABLE. Yet another venue leaving Hartford. This is Exhibit A demonstrating how City staff have been so focused on their P-Card defenses and ongoing investigations that work has come to a halt. Same thing happened during the Perez era. There needs to be an immediate audit of what Jared was working on or rather, what he SHOULD have been working on, assign them elsewhere, get him out, and move forward. Kevin, please investigate and publish a timeline if you can, as to HOW the loss of this critical event occurred.
ReplyDeleteThat an organization is choosing Waterbury over Hartford is the real story. Waterbury is beyond shitty - what does that say about Hartford?
ReplyDeleteNow this new Courant article states that the Pro-Am organizers are planning on bring the event back to Hartford next summer 2014.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.courant.com/sports/basketball/hc-hartford-pro-am-basketball-0606-20130605,0,1787633.story
Kevin, it is sad to see this event leave our city, even if it's just for one year. Seeing that they are having the event at Crosby High in Waterbury, which has over 2,000 seats, I was wondering how many seats does Weaver and Bulkeley high schools hold for a basketball game and can we get the mayor and our state reps involved in allocating money for a new wood floor to be put down at one or both of the high school gym basketball courts in time for next summer so we can have an opportunity to woo them back?
"Shocked" Why would they be shocked??
ReplyDeleteThat goes to show, that they have not been focusing on our City, they have been busy trying to keep their corrupted staff on, that they haven't been keeping up with, what's happening outside of City Hall; definitely, every single one of them "should be ashamed"
@ Joe Marks,
ReplyDeleteget a grip, the City gave a supermarket owner almost $500,000. He buckled within 6 months, pocketed the cash and left.
So dont blame Mr.Higgins for taking his league elsewhere. The city has done nothing to assist with advertising this basketball league. Mr.Higgins does it all from donations and promotions.
I have seen Mr.Higgins promoting other businesses, handing out flyers for the games, he is out at all hours of the night working within the city to raise money for the pro-am.
Mr.Higgins believes in the City of Hartford, but like any local business owner, is looked at as revenue instead of an investment.
The Pro_Am has the potential to be big in Hartford with the draw of local Basketball Players, College Elites and NBA stars...
So once again Hartford has let another investment, slip buy.....
I play basketball with Pete Higgins every week at the YMCA he is a loving father and husband, he grew up in Hartford and he loves Hartford it's sad that the pro Am is no longer in HFD it took young blackmen off the streets and it made the city somewhat safer and gave these young guys something to do. On top of that the chance to meet NBA players Hip Hop artists and other celebrities people that made it out of the ghetto and give back to the community. I fear this summer is going to be a busy one especially for the hardworking police officers who risk their lives to protect the city. This is very bad I hope one day redemption and reinvention will be restored to the city
ReplyDeleteKevin, speaking of leaving of leaving Hartford. Another long time downtown business has left. Papa's Pizza on Union Place closed it's doors..
ReplyDeleteJane, we will miss you!
who cares, one less venue were you could be stuck in a drive by shooting by thugs
ReplyDelete