More Nails in the Coffin
"RSCVA Official Considers Legal Action Against Activist"
More Nails in the Coffin
RSCVA director complains about citizen's letter
By John Stearns
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
December 11th, 1999
The head of the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority has asked
the agency's attorney if RSCVA has legal recourse against a citizen who
wrote to officials of a major trade show to advise them of local problems and
consider another location.
"It would behoove you to do extensive homework before deciding to bring
your trade show to Reno," Sam Dehne of Reno wrote to Outdoor Retailer on
Nov. 12.
On Nov. 24, Outdoor Retailer announced that its winter 2002 show will be in
Anaheim, Calif. The Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer markets had
been Reno's largest shows, with a combined annual economic impact of
about $30 million, before they left for Salt Lake City in 1996. The show
needs a new site in 2002 when the Winter Olympics visit Salt Lake.
Dieter Tremp, show director, said Friday that the letter had no effect on the
decision.
"This would not be appropriate stuff for us to base our decision on," Tremp
said. "We also realize that we can't always be welcome by every single
individual."
The show nixed Reno because it didn't want to risk renovation and
expansion of the Convention Center being incomplete by show time.
RSCVA chief executive Phil Keene, in a Nov. 30 memo to the RSCVA
board of directors, wrote that whether Dehne affected the decision or not,
"he continues not only to internally obstruct the RSCVA's pursuit of our
economic development mission, but now externally with our clients and
potential customers across the country."
Keene could not be reached Friday.
Dehne said it was "atrocious" that a public official on public letterhead could
"make such a threatening statement against a citizen."
Dehne opposes convention activity that he says hurts the community in
traffic and other ways. And he opposes RSCVA using room taxes to
"subsidize" hotel-casinos by pursuing conventions instead of tourism.
Rhett Long, chief executive at the Reno Hilton and an RSCVA board
member, said: "If Outdoor Retailer would take the word of one citizen out of
the blue, I would have to worry about Outdoor Retailer."
Pete Sferrazza, a Washoe County commissioner and RSCVA board
member, called Keene's letter a "bit of an overreaction" and said Dehne was
voicing opinion.
"I would rather spend our efforts trying to develop trade shows instead of
suing citizens of Reno," he said. "I don't think that staff time should be spent
going after citizens of Reno without some approval of the board."
Here's the letter to Outdoor Retailer that started this brouhaha:
To: Outdoor Retailer
Subject: Please Take Your Convention Elsewhere... Anaheim or Las Vegas or Salt Lake City are Fine
12 November, 1999To Whom It May Concern,
I am a concerned citizen of Reno, Nevada, and as such feel it is my duty to inform you of some issues that you might not be aware of. It would behoove you to do extensive homework before deciding to bring your trade show to Reno, Nevada.
1. The debt-ridden RSCVA might have a hard time living up to promises.
2. Below are brief excerpts from the newspaper report of a Washoe County Commission Hearing of 11/09/99:
LAWSUIT THREAT COULD STALL BOND SALE FOR RSCVA:
Bond counsel for Washoe County said any lawsuit or threatened lawsuit must be disclosed to potential bond buyers in a written prospectus. He said that would result in a higher interest rate and the convention authority might choose to postpone the sale until the legal issues are cleared.
County fiance director, John Sherman said he believes even the threat of the lawsuit could stop the bond sale. Investors generally want a clear legal opinion.
(Note: the bond sale was eventually completed. But that doesn't mean that the scandal-plagued RSCVA has totally escaped its problems.)
3. Reno has many other problems that would tend to hinder the success of your operation; to mention just a few:
a. Traffic congestion and grid lock and road rage and noise pollution and pollution in general are getting worse every day.
b. Sufficient and secure parking for a future convention center could be questionable.
c. Reno is not the nice friendly and quaint place it used to be... when you had your shows here some years ago.
d. Even the director of the RSCVA doesn't like Reno enough to move here... as reports have had him commuting from Las Vegas for a long time.
e. The scandal-plagued Reno Airport is having a myriad of problems, and is dedicating an inordinate amount of time and effort to trying to turn the already over-crowded airport into a horribly congested air and ground cargo distribution hub. This flies directly in the face of what "Outdoor" stands for.
We would be happy to answer questions and/or meet with you prior to any decision you might make.
Note:
So... with one simple letter I was able to divert that huge convention to Anaheim.
Apparently I have the power to bring that group of mostly appointed RSCVA amateurs to its knees.
Just think what I could do when a real boycott begins... with a budget.
The RSCVA was created to "promote" tourism... as in "advertising".
Instead they have grown to such a bureaucracy that only some 10% of their budget is dedicated to that.
The rest goes to salaries, bonuses, elitist style travel, bowling stadium and convention center bonds and other debt service, corporate welfare, Public Works projects... and who really knows what else... at the bottom of that seemingly bottomless money pit.
"The highly paid executive director of the Reno Sparks Convention Authority of appointed bureaucrats (RSCVA) has taken exception to my objection to the continuing devastation of our town; even though the massive Convention Expansion will have horrible negative effects on the livability and health of hundreds of citizens who live in the vicinity of the Corporate Welfare project."
"Furthermore, in a bizarre twist of logic, he wants to try to sic the lawyers of this bureaucracy upon me... under the bogus guise that when citizens write letters of protest and concern... these letters are outside the bounds of the Constitution's 1st Amendment Right to Free Speech. This is Hooey!"
"I am sick and tired of these taxpayer-funded Pork-Barrel Public-Works Projects wasting our money and devastating our once beautiful city."
"Somebody has to stop these ayatollahs."
"His concerns have inspired me to work harder in my endeavors."
"Some of those critters should take time off from their bloated taxpayer-funded jobs and study the Constitution."
Sam Dehne, unelected mayor of Reno
Las Vegas Review Journal newspaper has this to say about the RSCVA:
Intolerable behavior?Reno Convention Official Forgets About Bill of Rights.
Tuesday, December 21, 1999
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
In a solid candidate for Understatement of the Year,
Allen Lichtenstein, general counsel for the Nevada
American Civil Liberties Union, told the Sparks Tribune
earlier this month that government officials "sometimes
do not understand free speech. I think there is a
misunderstanding that even incendiary criticism of
government or government agencies are at the core of
the First Amendment."
Mr. Lichtenstein was quoted in the Northern
Nevada daily commenting on a Nov. 30 memo in which
Philip Keene, executive director of the Reno-Sparks
Convention and Visitors Authority, asked his board of
directors for guidance as he contemplates legal action
against activist Sam Dehne, who dared to send out a
381-word e-mail to the Outdoor Retailers Association,
urging them not to bring their Year 2002 convention to
Reno.
Mr. Dehne's complaints against the Reno-Sparks
convention authority hinge on its plans to sell $105
million in bonds to fund an expansion required to host
just such events as the Outdoor Retailers show.
In his Nov. 12 e-mail, Mr. Dehne told the producers
of the Outdoor Retailers show -- who have since
announced they will move to Anaheim, Calif. -- "It
would behoove you to do extensive homework before
deciding to bring your trade show to Reno. ... The
debt-ridden RSCVA might have a hard time living up to
its promises."
Indeed, in announcing their move, the show
organizers did cite concerns that Reno may not have its
convention center expansion done in time.
"Whether or not Dehne's action materially affected
this decision on returning to Reno with the biggest
convention we have ever had, he continues not only to
internally obstruct the RSCVA's pursuit of our economic
development mission, but now externally with out clients
and potential customers across the country," Mr. Keene
wrote in the memo to his board of directors. "We, as a
community, cannot continue to tolerate this behavior in
the name of free expression."
The last sentence is worth reading again. For, in fact,
Phillip Keene is not "a community," nor has he been
elected to speak for one. Instead, he works for an outfit
funded by the taxpayers, and subject to taxpayer
oversight and scrutiny.
Mr. Keene speaks of a refusal to "tolerate" further
criticism "in the name of free expression"? But this would
imply Mr. Dehne's remarks merely masquerade as
constitutionally protected speech.
In fact, we have here no strained debate about
whether topless dancers are engaged in protected
"speech" as they bob and weave.
It's true the First Amendment protects far more than
outspokenness on the allocation of tax dollars --
precisely because no government agency can be trusted
to decide how much speech is "protected." But if the
founders had been asked to cite one example of the kind
of speech they meant to protect, such criticism of public
officials in the way they spend tax dollars would have
been at the very top of the list!
If it ever comes down to a question of choosing
between the economic viability of mighty monuments like
the RSCVA and the right of "gadflies" like Sam Dehne
to criticize the mechanisms by which these outfits get and
spend their money, the Constitution is clear: Protect the
gadflies -- and with them the Bill of Rights.
click for newspaper report
Note: Mr Keene was fired shortly after this.
FOLLOW UP to email of 3 March, 2000 8 April, 2000
Dear American Airlines,
It was just reported that you are, in fact, following through with your planned withdrawal from the Reno market. It can only be assumed that you know more about aviation than the aviation amateurs at the Reno Airport who have been living off the government trough for too many years... stealing land from innocent citizens for their boneheaded schemes to kiss up to the man who has been masquerading as mayor and his cronies.
Airline route decisions are often a portend of things to come in an area's economy. And with the way Reno is being mis-run by blundering politicos and their ignorant crony-appointees, your action is not surprising.
As an American Airlines stockholder, your economic financial decision is commended.
It is obvious that whenever a citizen wants to come to Reno, she/he will still find a seat on a flight.
Sincerely,
Sam Dehne (sam@accutek.com)
775.825-1398
PS
The Reno Convention Authority blamed me, when I wrote an honest email to the Outdoor Retailers, for driving that convention away from Reno. Do you think a similar blame/credit will be bestowed upon me for the recent honest letter to you?
(Original Letter)
VIA EMAIL (amrwebmaster@amrcorp.com) 3 March, 2000
American Airlines
Dallas, Texas
Subject: Make the Right Decision for American Airlines Workers and Stockholders
Dear Sirs,
As a stockholder I support your efforts to make American Airlines more profitable.
I live in Reno, Nevada and have heard rumors that you do not think that many of the routes that you took over from Reno Air are profitable.
I also heard that several elected officials and some Reno Airport bureaucrats flew to your offices to try to coerce you into continuing to fly those money-losing routes.
As a stockholder, I recommend that you disregard their self-serving plea.
I have watched the aviation amateurs who are (mis)running the airport here in Reno and I have caught them squandering and "laundering" $millions and $millions of our nation's tax dollars.
They do not deserve any subsidization from American Airlines.
Their illegal (and subsequently ill-fated) scheme to "Go Postal... and Go Cargo" can only make Reno a worse place for American Airlines passengers to fly to.
Your planned massive withdrawal from the Reno market is obviously due to the fact that Reno's economy is on a downhill slide. And let me assure you that it is mainly the result of noodleheaded politicians who cannot see beyond their noses and who do not give one dingleedang about the citizens of Reno.
This downhill slide has been caused mainly by the perversions of these elected and appointed bureaucrats.
Let's hope that once Reno rids itself of its rotten government, that you will (then) reconsider returning to our fine city. American Airlines knows more about how many flights are the right amount for Reno... than the airport aviation amateurs who only want to further bloat their coffers.
I feel convinced that whenever a citizen wants to come to Reno, she/he will find a seat on a flight.
Sincerely,
Sam Dehne (sam@accutek.com)
775.825.1398
A few thoughts & predictions on possible scenarios relative to Reno Airport & Griffin Gang's dreams of "Going Cargo" onto the stolen land in Rewana Farms (Readers Digest version):
1. With American Airline's massive withdrawal, most quality businesses are going to think twice about coming to Reno... hence Rewana Farms (and Reno) end up becoming a wasteland for many years. (Suck wind, EDAWN.)
2. Bart and the rest of the airport crooks are knocked back so hard on their heels they won't have time, capability, or inclination to continue and/or pursue the landgrab. Like rats scurrying to save themselves.
3. Cargo air carriers could recognize the impending doom facing Reno and take most of their operations elsewhere... and maybe even Feds say "enough is enough"... and start asking for an accounting of all those federal tax dollars that were laundered by Bart and her cohorts. Jail time?
4. American Air's withdrawal is only a portend of dire things for Reno's future. It is my opinion that American Air is a better soothsayer than Bart and the Griffin Gang. California/Washington/Oregon gambling and Internet gambling are just over the horizon.
5. The Stock Market is showing a definite slowdown after the biggest economic expansion in history. Hopefully not a depression ahead... but definitely a mini-recesion.
6. And of course all of this also reflects on the other corruption around the area and can act as the catalyst to squelch many of those schemes... ludicrous ($$$)Convention Center expansion and ($$$)RR Trench, etc...
Will that snowball be pushed faster down the hill?
7. One has to have great sympathy for the citizens who are damaged by all this rotten government perversion. But then, where were they when the airport fat cats were ravaging Rewana... and our government was ravaging everybody?
7a. Citizens might start leaving town in droves. When I (sadly) lost my job after Pan Am was blown out of business in 1991, I moved back to Reno.
7b. Maybe time to move on elsewhere before long? Nah, my "job" is nowhere near done... far too much corruption left to challenge.
8. Wicked government can only "last" so long.
9. Griffin is gonna wish he gets recalled before this is over...
Wishful thinking? Who knows what the future holds? See #4 above.
Sam Dehne
BY WILLIAM PUCHERT
Tribune Staff
The chief of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority is considering legal action against a Reno citizen activist for correspondence to trade show officials encouraging them to go elsewhere.
In a memo dated Nov. 30 obtained by the Daily Sparks Tribune, RSCVA Executive Director Phillip Keene wrote to agency board members asking for direction on pursuing legal action against Sam Dehne. The local activist wrote a discouraging electronic message to producers of one of the world's largest trade shows for the winter outdoor industry. RSCVA officials were hoping to bring the trade show to Reno in 2002 and are in the process of selling $105 million in bonds to pay for expansion of its convention center to accommodate this type of trade show.
However, the producers recently announced they had chosen to locate the show in Anaheim, Calif., citing concerns the convention center's renovations wouldn't be completed on time. The convention center's facilities were used by the winter and summer trade show for a decade before relocating to Salt Lake City in 1996. The events had an annual economic impact to the area of $30 million.
"Ten days after he sent this e-mail, Miller Freeman (the show's producer) announced their decision not to bring the Winter 2002 event back to Reno, a prospect we have been working on for the past four years, Keene wrote in the memo.
"Whether or not Dehne's action materially affected this decision on returning to Reno with the biggest convention we have ever had, he continues not only to internally obstruct the RSCVA's pursuit of our economic development mission, but now externally with our clients and potential customers across the country. We, as a community, cannot continue to tolerate this behavior in the name of freedom of expression."
"His concerns have inspired me to work harder in my endeavors," said an elated Dehne when he learned of the letter. "Phil Keene should take some time off from his $230,000-a-year job and read the Constitution."
In his Nov. 12 e-mail message to Miller Freeman --one of the largest organizers of trade shows and conferences worldwide--Dehne told the producers, "It would behoove you to do extensive homework before deciding to bring your trade show to Reno... The debt-ridden RSCVA might have a hard time living up to promises."
Dehne added that "Reno suffers from traffic congestion and gridlock." He also mentions that "sufficient and secure parking for a future convention center will be very questionable" and "Reno is not the nice, friendly and quaint place it used to be when you had your shows here some years ago."
Keene indicated in the memo he is seeking consultation from the RSCVA's law firm, Jones & Vargas to "determine if there is a legal recourse to this self-destructive rampage."
He added Dehne's actions are "affecting the legitimate conduct of the agency's business and found his statements to be potentially slanderous and libelous.
Dehne responded, "I find it appalling he's going to the agency's tax-funded legal service to find a way to usurp the First Amendment."
John Sande, the agency's legal counsel, said because the RSCVA is considering legal action, he could not comment. He added the memo was intended as an attorney-client privilege between himself and the board members.
Allen Lichtenstein, general counsel for the Nevada American Civil Liberties Union, said that sometimes government officials do not understand free speech.
"I think there is a misunderstanding that even incendiary criticism of government or government agencies are at the core of the First Amendment," said Lichtenstein.
At the conclusion of the memo, Keene lashed out at the tourism agency's critics and blames the media for giving them too much attention.
"Between Mr. Dehne, (Sparks activist) Mr. (David) Farside and a press cadre that sensationally legitimizes their narrow perspectives what fools we must appear to the outside world," Keene wrote.
Farside, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign to require the bond sale for the convention center's expansion to be placed on the ballot before voters, said Keene is trying to point to others for the actions of the RSCVA.
I find interesting he's blaming us for their ineptness," Farside said. "I think they are using critics of the RSCVA as scapegoats."
County Commissioner and RSCVA board member Pete Sferrazza said he disagrees with any litigation attempt. He also disagrees with Keene's basis for considering filing suit.
"I do not think that the RSCVA should be suing citizens for statements that they make, whether I agree with them or not," said Sferrazza, an attorney, who added that Keene would need the board's approval before pursuing litigation. "I do not believe the Outdoor Retailers based their decision on Sam Dehne. It's the responsibility of our staff. (original version with picture - click)
Reprinted with permission of author. Copyright 1999, Daily Sparks Tribune.
Think about it Newsletter
by Al Walker (awalker@nanosecond.com)
When I talked about our many taxes a while back, I purposefully left out an important tax, the room tax. You can not talk about the room tax without a discussion of how it is wasted. This means an analysis of those quasi government organizations called Convention and Visitors Authorities. This is the biggest farce put upon the tax payers of Nevada that the casinos have invented.
I guess that we all know how it works. A tax is collected whenever a room is rented and then most of the money is given to the casinos for "promotion". Oh, you say that the money goes to an "independent" organization called the Visitors Authority. Sure, and who runs them? In Douglas County, the casino controlled legislature wrote a law forming a Visitors Authority and legislated that it be made up of 4 casino barons from Lake Tahoe and one County Commissioner for a rubber stamp. (Washoe County has similar problems.)
So, we have taxes collected and then spent by the casinos. Yes, tax revenue spent by an organization that is neither elected nor represents the people in any way. This, in a democracy???
Let's look at some of the things that they spend the money on. They have plenty of high paid bureaucrats selected by the casino barons. Then, they build things that will return the investment to the community.
In our general area we find things like the bowling alley in Reno. It cost several times what they said it would, is closed to the public, seldom used and will not pay for itself in a million years. That's OK. Is there any way that the money could have been better spent?
Now, in Reno, they want to sell over $100 million dollars in bonds to renovate and expand the convention center which there is no guarantee that they can repay. The bond issue needs to be underwritten by the county which means that it will have to be paid by the tax payer when there is not enough room tax money. So what, again it is only the middle class home owner who will take it in the shorts.
By the way, that will give the Visitors Authority more debt than the total of Washoe County and the cities, including their redevelopment districts which will also never pay for themselves. Then, you say that you read that they forgot to include parking in the convention center plan. That's OK. They can just borrow some more money to take care of that and the overrun which will likely be more than the original estimate, based on history.
Does this all sound like some kind of science fiction novel? Well, it is the way things are. These folks see this tax revenue as play money. They don't care. They are totally unaffected by the results of their mistakes. But when dumb citizens comment about the lunacy, they are chastised by the casino barons and their stooges in government and the media that we just do not understand what is best for ourselves. They have all of the answers and the peons should keep their noses out of this important business.
I will give you the answer to this nonsense. These Visitor Authorities and redevelopment commissions should be elected and they should not be allowed to borrow money without the vote of the people.
If you mention that to any politician, they will tell you that if it took a vote of the people it would be disapproved and it is just too important. BS!! It would be voted down because it is purely for special interests and run by incompetents.
The sad fact is that because of the continual support by government and the media, these things have become......"just there". No one really thinks about them. The Reno Rag has multiple editorials, every single month, in support of redevelopment and Visitors Authorities. That is what their advertisers pay them to write. The public simply never gets the facts. I guess that if I actually knew how good all of this crap is for myself, I would shut my mouth.
Think about it.
Sooner or later these government subsidized corporate welfare operations are going to run out of money... and we are sure that you don't want that to happen in the middle of one of your conventions.
Sam Dehne, editor and publisher The Reno Citizen Internet Magazine
Sticks and Stones From Las Vegas Oasis' "Jonnymo" (click)
Reno resident Sam Dehne has possibly received the
ultimate compliment for
a citizen activist. Upset because he expressed
his opinion, the Reno-Sparks Convention and
Visitors Authority is considering a lawsuit against
him, as reported on December 9 by the Daily
Sparks Tribune. Here's the Reno
Gazette-Journal's story on the matter, out today.
We think that the RSCVA is - appropriately -
going to end up looking like this
'big little city's' village idiots on this one.
Way to go, Sam
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