Jake Thomas
jthomas@portlandobserver.com
Lonnie Scott, the president and CEO of the Kansas City-based Mid-America Minority Business Development Council, just got back to returning a request for comment on the Trail Blazer’s plan to bring a controversial developer to the Rose Quarter, and he did not have encouraging words.
The Trail Blazers want to bring the Cordish Companies to Portland to build “Jumptown,” a year-round entertainment district in the Rose Quarter.
The company has a controversial past, with strong allegations brought against it that it used a dress code in Kansas City’s Power & Light District, a similar development built by Cordish, to keep African Americans out of its venues.
“Cordish has done nothing for minorities,” Scott told the Portland Observer.
He said that Cordish promised to work with minority contractors during the construction phase, but claims they failed to deliver.
Scott also said that renting a venue in Power & Light District is so high that it’s nearly impossible for a minority entrepreneur to get their foot in the door.
When asked what advise he had for Portlanders on doing business with Cordish he offered a terse: “Get it in writing.”
If you want your taxpayers to be on the hook for millions of dollars when Cordish can’t make their payments, then you should go ahead with this plan to let them build in your community.
If you feel you need to divide your community along racial lines then Cordish is the company that can make that happen.
If you have millions of dollars that you need to throw down a rat hole, then I would recommend you bring Cordish in to help.
If you are looking to piss off every single local business owner in your community, then Cordish is the company to hire.
If your local leaders tend to buy into pie-in-the-sky outrageous projections of success while at the same time being feed lines of continual B.S., then Cordish is the company to hire to do that.
If you are looking for a company that will not fulfill any of it’s promises while at the same time they bleed your city coffers dry while they charge your citizens $10 for a Miller Lite, than Cordish is for you.
If your city can afford to continually service lawsuits from your citizens against Cordish and from your own city against them as well, then Cordish is for you.
[...] leaders and labor leaders claimed that the company broke its promises to hire minority [...]
Goodday
Lets focus on how we can empower each other on business dealings have joint ventures across the world to beat recission because i believe the work is plenty we just have to use our brains and stop blaming goverment for each an every failure in our lives.
We can establish a group that focus on empowering the youth by business networks globally Pls!!either black pink or white we all need a better life irrespective of tour race.
Thank you
Silvester
South Africa/Pretoria
silvestermokhutshane@hotmail.com
0725752595
0842309462
0132432047
fax-086603158