Whilst many Portlanders spent their Saturday running errands, catching up on sleep or doing something else off-line, Memorial Coliseum defender Brian Libby and city Commissioner Randy Leonard were busy e-mailing each other over the Coliseum and copying the rest of us conflict-loving reporters. Here’s their entertaining exchange:
Libby writes Leonard on Saturday morning to invite Leonard to tour the Coliseum, which Leonard has called ‘ugly.”
Dear Commissioner Leonard,
Thank you for the invitation and for the kind acknowledgements of my work to preserve the historic John Yeon building.
After reading both your post and your personal email to me, I must say that your characterization of me as “whip-smart” and “a tremendous friend and
ally to the architecture, green buildings, and arts communities” in your email and then as the embodiment of “Arrogant Ignorance” in your post has my
head spinning. Calling me ignorant and posting a picture of “Ernest” (although you appear to have reconsidered the picture and have now taken it
down from your site) hardly inspires me to engage in a thoughtful discussion with you, Brian. And it certainly doesn’t inspire me to take you up on your
offer to educate me with a tour. Asking me to go on a tour of the Coliseum because you are convinced that the benefit of your artistic insight will
cause me to change my mind about its aesthetic value is akin to trying to explain a joke so that the listener finally believes it’s funny. I
appreciate straight talk and candid communication, but I don’t tend to respond well to pretentious elitism. You might keep that in mind for future
correspondence.
I do believe the Memorial Coliseum to be ugly. That’s my opinion. And while I appreciate the knowledge and passion architects and designers bring to
discussions of the city’s planning goals, I also believe that you, as a small but vocal group, are failing to see the bottom line here: The building
that you believe to be an architectural gem and that I find displeasing simply isn’t functional. It takes up a huge space in an area that needs to
be able to accommodate diverse needs. After years of discussions, no one has been able to come up with a viable use for the building. You called it a
sleeping giant. Unfortunately, I think of it as the fat white elephant sitting in the middle of my living room where (”Blue-collar Everyman” that I
am), I’d like to put my recliner, my television, my stereo and maybe even a TV tray or two.
As far as the Coliseum being a memorial to veterans, I can only tell you that I believe it to be more of an insult than a tribute to those who gave
their all to defend our country. Ask Portlanders on the street to name the city’s memorials to veterans and I doubt that one out of one hundred would
mention the Coliseum. Veterans’ groups deserve a true memorial park that raises awareness and speaks for itself. If it has to be explained, much as
your invitation for a tour suggests, than something isn’t working.
Perhaps there are other options here that we have not yet entertained, including the possibility of moving some or all of the Coliseum’s shell to
another location. In that vein, I’d be happy to talk with you about an idea I have had to save the Coliseum: You take it down and you can have it.
Regards,
Randy
Libby’s apologetic response comes less than two hours later:
Commissioner Leonard,
- Bloggers, Architects Rally Against Memorial Coliseum Demolition Mayor Sam
- Save The Coliseum Rally … And Free Beer Upset that
- Randy Leonard vs. Lents Neighbors The cafet
- Randy Leonard Says City Is Now Exploring The Possibility of A Third Site for Baseball Commissio
- Randy Leonard Vs. Rosie Sizer: The Latest Round At a City
Tags: Brian Libby, Follow-up, memorial coliseum, Randy Leonard
Considering that he’s being provoked, Libby’s remarks are pretty measured and judicious, with this notable exception: “You and the Mayor could also be heroes for saving this building.” That’s coming at it a bit heavy, really. I think we all know that the mayor should have resigned long ago and Leonard’s enthusiasm for Paulson’s sketchy hustling is looking worse by the day. Perhaps Libby means to suggest that being a responsible adult is heroic? Well, considering his audience he may have a point after all.
Thanks for writing about this.
Although I probably was too angry and personal in my original blog post about this (”Arrogant ignorance: Shame on Commissioner Randy Leonard”), which also included a picture of Jim “Earnest” Varney as a stand-in for the Commissioner, it ultimately may a good thing for the Memorial Coliseum preservation effort to draw Randy Leonard out.
This isn’t just a publicity stunt. In our view, he really needs to reconsider this whole thing by taking a good look at the Coliseum without being surrounded by people telling him that a tarnished diamond equals a piece of cubic zirconium.
A renovated Memorial Coliseum, complete with a management agreement that no longer gives the managers incentive to let it fall into disrepair, could be the centerpiece of a remade Rose Quarter. It’s the only bona-fide architectural landmark on the site, and its glass curtain wall means the Coliseum could be turned into just the sort of indoor-outdoor performance venue the Blazers are looking for.
Obviously I don’t really think Randy Leonard is ignorant. But by calling the Coliseum ugly, which was really an attempt to tamp down the vehement defense of the building by preservationists, the Commissioner is missing an opportunity to work with Portlanders, who are calling for the Coliseum to be saved by an 8-1 margin according to polls by two separate local media outlets.
I have a feeling that Merritt P., Adams, and Leonard are going to wait a little while for this blow over. They won’t allow any more articles in the Oregonian. No more investigative reporting. After everyone forgets about the issue, they will go back to trying to knock down Memorial Coliseum again. That’s my hunch. I hope they look elsewhere for the baseball stadium. I see the Timbers fan base already dividing over this issue. The MLS dream is turning into a nightmare.
As moody, touchy, easily offended, thin skinned and temperamental as Randy Leonard continues to come across, I am surprised he has been able to stomach the arena of politics as long as he has without doing some serious damage to his engine. His temperament comes across time after time, as too sensitive…It is discouraging to always be seeing and reading how he takes any critique as hyper personally as he does. An entire first paragraph devoted to his easily wounded feelings, and how now that his tail is in a knot (yet again), to the point that it “hardly inspires me to engage in a thoughtful discussion with you, Brian”. Talk about control freak issues! Anyone else not feeling comforted knowing someone who easily reveals an apparent unbridled lack of self esteem and hair trigger insecurity traits, has a seat of power in monumental city decision making decisions? More and more Randy comes across as the whiner “ME ME ME” type (who unfortunately happens to have way too much power at his disposal), and to Hell with anyone else, and more to Hell with anyone who crosses his path. Just what Portland needs, a politician who fuels his tank at the “I’LL SHOW THEM”, station…
This whole exchange is pathetic, but only one of these guys is a City Councilor. Leonard needs to grow up. He’s petty and vindictive.
It reminds me of his exchange with Ted Wheeler. It’s a bit terrifying to see him acting this way and then realize how much power he has to strong arm policies through that affect us all. Frankly, between him and Adams, I’m starting to miss the quiet old “ineffective” Tom Potter.
I agree that as an elected official, Commissioner Leonard should not be allowed to refuse to listen and engage with those who call him names. A true statesman / politico should have the personal emotional capacity to let insults roll off his back and do his “due diligence” in making a decision that will affect all Portlanders.
Constituents should not have to apologize to our elected officials for expressing frustration…it’s the elected’s job to listen and not take things personally. He started down the path of name calling when he labeled the building “ugly”.
PS: Not to start another conflict, but some people think that placing a neon rose on top of the building on the waterfront will look “ugly”.