Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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STAFF PUBLISHER Bill Bowman bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com OPERATIONS OFFICER Paulette Naylor accounting@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Martin, Pitt Dickey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Karen Poppele, Heather Griffiths DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ OFFICE COORDINATOR Laurel Handforth laurel@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Cynthia Deere cynthia@upandcomingweekly.com Linda McAlister Brown linda@upandcomingweekly.com Kristy Sykes kristy@upandcomingweekly.com Beverly Pone beverlypone@upandcomingweekly.com ––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and information on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per person. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. INSIDE Calendar ........................................... 12 Concert Connection ........................ 15 TV ..................................................... 17 Free Wheelin' Feelin' ....................... 18 Horoscopes/Advice Goddess ......... 19 Classifieds ........................................ 20 Games .............................................. 22 Dining Guide.....................................23 PUBLISHER'S PEN Professional Management: The Crowning Touch by BILL BOWMAN Last week the community heard, with no great surprise, the executed fairly and flawlessly and in the best interest of the Crown, results of the benchmark study on the Crown Coliseum. The study Cumberland County and its residents, the project will be deemed compared the Crown to the operations of eight other entertainment a huge success. However, many sources familiar with the way the facilities somewhat similar to the Crown. The conclusions were no county has historically done business are skeptical. Many profess surprise. Actually, almost every aspect of the operation detailed in that "Cumberland County never misses an opportunity to miss an the report was common knowledge and documented in one form opportunity." Meaning, historically, in too many cases, we just or another over the past several years. Now, it is official. don't do the right things for the right reasons. Good point. Think A $35, 000 study paid for by Cumberland County taxpayers is about it. How did the Crown get in this situation in the first place? what our county officials How did it stay that way for wanted and needed in 10 years? order to move the Crown The mere fact that the Coliseum forward to greater Crown and the county have prosperity and distance gotten this far indicates themselves further away the forces of good are from the $3 million per overpowering the forces year deficit it has become. of negligence. Choosing So, what was in the report? the right company will be No new news for sure. a major step in the right Revenues down, expenses direction. A correct choice up, management weak, here is imperative, and will not enough events/shows, hold the formula for the staff too big and a sales future success of and marketing team that the Crown. Hopefully, the Crown Coliseum may see new private management by the end of the year. completely misses the mark My assessment is that when it comes to doing so far, things are looking their job and understanding pretty good for the Crown. the community they live in. This being the case, is there any Making the decision on who will be the management team will reason why the Crown Board of Directors and the Cumberland ultimately be that of the Crown's Board of Directors lead by County Commissioners would not consider bringing in an outside Chairman George Turner. County Commissioner Ed Melvin is professional management company to stop the bleeding? Of advising as the board's county liaison. The decision will ultimately course not. Besides, outsourcing is a common business strategy for have to be approved by the county commissioners. increasing efficiency and lowering operating costs. Everyone needs to keep their fingers crossed. The right decision Good thinking. So far, so good. here could provide the leadership needed to spur the economic Now comes the difficult and challenging part for getting the development needed to get the most out of our $60 million facility. Crown back on track. Three companies have responded to a I applaud everyone's hard work and dedication to this tedious request for proposal for the opportunity to manage the Crown. project. I promise to be first in line to purchase a ticket to this Not profitably, but, professionally. After all, with 10 years of failed command performance. Hope to see you there. operations and millions of dollars in losses what does Cumberland Thank you, for reading Up & Coming Weekly. County have to lose? Absolutely nothing. BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, Up & Coming During the next several days these three proposals will be Weekly, COMMENTS? editor@upandcomreviewed, scrutinized and evaluated. If this process can be ingweekly.com. Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Thursday June 27 Friday June 28 Call 910.354.1679 Sunday June 30 Saturday June 29 24 / 4 High 91° Low 74° Scattered Thunderstorms JUNE 26 - JULY 2, 2013 High 88° Low 73° Scattered Thunderstorms High 86° Low 72° Scattered Thunderstorms Monday July 1 Tuesday July 2 High 85° Low 72° Scattered Thunderstorms High 87º Low 73º Scattered Thunderstorms High 89º Low 72º Scattered Thunderstorms 7 Forecast available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM