Bing! Bing! Bing! We have a Winner!

I wondered why it took so long. I posted that bald-faced lie to provoke a discussion on community cooperative efforts. The city actually is, at this point, collaborating with Harlingen for a event center, hopefully as I described. The basic problem that plagues efforts like that are that by the time the location is chosen, everyone knows where it will be and we pay far too much for the real-estate, it costs 3 times as much (cough! sports-park)and is usually undersized by the time it is finally finished. It is not important that what I wrote was not true. What is important is that it should have been true. If you bought it, hook, line, and sinker, don't be sad or angry. You were optimistic about our city. As I was writing it, I was hoping it was true, too. Congratulations, Ralph Cowen. How long did it take to run down my bit of malarky?

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M,

I read your piece on a “supposed” event center on Port of Brownsville property. The concept is very interesting and very creative. I really hate to report to the blog-world that your “events center proposal” at this time is just not under consideration by anybody but yourself. This concept for BND diversity has great possibilities and real merit. Unfortunately at this place in time, your “concept” has no budget or backing. You see it my business to know too. After reading your script and looking at the drawing, I must say that you do have real “talent”. I am very grateful you were not around for the Orson Well’s radio broadcast of “War of the Worlds” in the last century. I am sure the public’s panic and hysteria would still be with us.

While we are conjuring up BND projects, let us consider these other concept projects that have great merit and no current funding or consideration.

1. A first class cruise line and Navy Port of Call based in a new turning basin located five miles inland from the end of the jetties. Those five miles of channel and basin would be maintained at 60ft and have the ability to turn an aircraft carrier around. It is cheaper to maintain a five mile channel and basin at 60 ft of dept than 18 miles of channel at a 50ft dept.

2. This basin would be serviced by a passenger train run by BRGV Railroad that is currently owned and operated by the BND. Cruise line passengers could check their luggage at the Brownsville airport and ride hassle free before boarding the cruise ship. No other port in the world offers this service today.

3. This same train would serve as a commuter train in the early morning and late afternoon for workers at the port to Park and Ride to and from parking lots located by the Brownsville Airport. Thus taming HWY 48 during shift change.

4. A power plant running on natural gas wells located on land owned by the BND to serve us all with cheap electric power.


5. If the proposed desalt plant isn’t in the cards, we will build an affordable one, coupled with the affordable power to make the Port of Brownsville a competitive and diverse world class business site.

6. We should all work toward making the Port self supporting, and wean off tax support


It all starts with an idea; RFK quoted “Some people see things as they are and say WHY? I see things and say why not?” He may have borrowed this idea from “Voltaire”.

We must dream or our dreams can’t come true. One day at a time, one dream at a time we can and will change the world. Sometimes I dream with my head in the clouds, but I keep my feet on the ground.

Step one; Start and do our due diligence as we go.

Ralph Cowen