Community needs to support event center

I continue to read and hear negative comments about the event center. I can empathize with many of the concerns and criticisms -- its economic viability, location, size, etc., as I also had questions about these.

With all due respect, most of the concerns had legitimate merit. The reality is the event center is moving forward -- the footings are currently being prepared. It is critical for the future success of the event center that the Bemidji community put aside these differences and look ahead to giving it the full support that will be necessary for it to be ultimately successful.

Some of us had a choice of where we were going to make our home. We chose Bemidji because of the quality of life that it affords. This starts with the people here. The hospital, medical clinic, schools, educational and recreational facilities, including the tech center and BSU are first rate. The several service clubs and many churches do a wonderful job in their philanthropy to address various community needs ... and I could go on.

The bottom line is that we as a community need to support this venture. True, it will be a hockey venue, but, there will still be 300 plus days available at the center for a myriad of events. Hopefully, we'll all get behind this community endeavor, promote it and support it as we're doing in our other community activities. If we don't support the events center, it will fail and impact all of us. That's not the Bemidji community spirit that I've known the past 40 years.

Marshall Johnston

Bemidji