If a concert hall that doesn't even operate as a proper bar most days of the week won't pony up the rent, the thinking probably goes, then there's bound to be some latte-bar entrepreneur with dreams of IPOing who'll gladly sign up, until the money inevitably runs out there, too.

Labels: columbus, little brothers, short north

Wilco at the Wex 2007
Originally uploaded by Gus Dahlberg

Labels: columbus, concerts, music

Following those instructions, hundreds of Hilliard Darby High School football fans fell into an elaborate prank on Friday night.

When they stood up during a football game against cross-town rival Hilliard Davidson High School and held up squares of construction paper, they thought they were spelling out: "Go Darby."

But from across the field, Davidson fans read the actual message:

"We suck."

Hilliard Davidson senior Kyle Garchar masterminded the trick at Crew Stadium and suffered an in-school suspension for it.

[more]

... and here's the proof:

Labels: columbus, comedy, video

Bill Todd today (HT: RAB): Bill Todd Slams Mayor Coleman over Plan to Take Over City Center

"Unfortunately, the first action by our drowsy mayor was an overreaction! Filing an ill-considered lawsuit against the nation’s largest shopping center developer is hardly an act of mature, responsible leadership.

“We need considered judgment and a plan for addressing the blighted area formerly known as the City Center Mall. Burning bridges with Simon Property Group is not smart. We should expect more from our mayor than a knee-jerk reaction. . .

"The only thing Mike Coleman accomplished with this political stunt is to make Columbus look unprofessional and anti-business."

...Here's what Bill Todd was saying about the City Center back in May (HT: RAB): Bill Todd: "Tear down this Mall!" (w/video goodness!) and as covered by the Columbus Dispatch:

"Mr. Mayor, tear down this mall," Todd said.

Todd offered no specifics for his City Center plan beyond saying he thinks the mall should remain an entertainment and shopping area. He said he meant "tear down" rhetorically; his plan won't necessarily include razing City Center.

He also said he'd move to seize control of the mall through eminent domain, if need be. City Center's land is owned by the city-created Capitol South Urban Redevelopment Corp., and the mall is owned by Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group.

Labels: business, columbus, politics

Labels: books, columbus, harry potter, weekend

Here's an e-mail from Dan Dougan, owner of Little Brother's..

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To friends, family, fans, musicians and community,

There are rumors flying that Little Brother's is being "taken over" or replaced by new ownership, so I thought it was important to clarify our current situation.

Just as we are hitting Little Brother's ten-year anniversary in the Short North this May, I have apparently reached an impasse with the landlord of the building, who has informed me, through his lawyers, that the only new lease he will offer me includes, among other stipulations, an immediate increase in rent of over 40 percent, and annual increases. It has been clearly implied that someone else has offered this amount for the space and that I could be asked to vacate the premises before summer begins.

This came as a surprise, because I had negotiated terms face-to-face with my landlord earlier this year and we verbally agreed upon incremental increases over the next five years that would have been difficult, but not impossible, for us to accommodate over that time. He promised to send the new terms of the lease in writing. Soon after, he stopped responding to my calls and recently began communicating with me only via his attorney.

While business has been good this year, this increase is more than I can afford. The entertainment business goes through so many highs and lows, an agreement of this nature could crush us the next time we hit a slow period. Clearly, if I am asked to leave by summertime, that gives me little time to relocate the club, which is not something I am sure I can endure again anyway.

Labels: columbus, little brothers, music, short north