Pinthouse Pizza
'Mistake on the Lake' Nominees
RECEIVED Tue., June 29, 2004
Dear editor,
Since Cleveland's Lakefront Stadium is no more, the moniker "Mistake on the Lake" is up for grabs. I suggest it be awarded to a pair of bad ideas on Austin's Town Lake that are each other's solution. One is "Plan B" for working around the tens of millions of dollars in funding shortfall for the Long Center redevelopment that will result in the permanent removal of the familiar and architecturally significant dome, leaving a wide flat ring (like the brim of a broken hat) hovering over a disjointed collection of odd-sized boxes; and with only two of the three originally planned acoustically perfect performance halls being built (www.artscenterstage.org/longcenter). The other is the apparent tens of millions of dollars someone perceives as available to convert the former Seaholm power plant into a studio for two dozen Austin City Limits tapings per year, with the noise of trains (freight and/or commuter) rumbling past during the performances, when that venue is an obvious site for a technology and transportation museum (and working train station).
Hmmm, threatened historic downtown architectural treasure/musical performance venue needing money, and, just across the river, money seeking to turn a historic downtown architectural treasure into an inappropriate musical performance venue. If only different music and performance styles could co-exist under the same (rounded) roof! If only KMFA listeners and KLRU viewers weren't mortal enemies! If only Chardonnay and Shiner could be served at the same lobby bar! If only these radically disparate camps could – oh, never mind; it's just too weird, even for Austin.
Since Cleveland's Lakefront Stadium is no more, the moniker "Mistake on the Lake" is up for grabs. I suggest it be awarded to a pair of bad ideas on Austin's Town Lake that are each other's solution. One is "Plan B" for working around the tens of millions of dollars in funding shortfall for the Long Center redevelopment that will result in the permanent removal of the familiar and architecturally significant dome, leaving a wide flat ring (like the brim of a broken hat) hovering over a disjointed collection of odd-sized boxes; and with only two of the three originally planned acoustically perfect performance halls being built (www.artscenterstage.org/longcenter). The other is the apparent tens of millions of dollars someone perceives as available to convert the former Seaholm power plant into a studio for two dozen Austin City Limits tapings per year, with the noise of trains (freight and/or commuter) rumbling past during the performances, when that venue is an obvious site for a technology and transportation museum (and working train station).
Hmmm, threatened historic downtown architectural treasure/musical performance venue needing money, and, just across the river, money seeking to turn a historic downtown architectural treasure into an inappropriate musical performance venue. If only different music and performance styles could co-exist under the same (rounded) roof! If only KMFA listeners and KLRU viewers weren't mortal enemies! If only Chardonnay and Shiner could be served at the same lobby bar! If only these radically disparate camps could – oh, never mind; it's just too weird, even for Austin.
Kent Maysel