The recent letter to the editor by Travel Lane County Board Chair Sarah Smith insists that winter continues to hold back the region’s visitor economy. Smith wrote that Travel Lane County has pursued an indoor sports facility for more than 30 years. But what I see holding back this facility is the organization’s approach.

Travel Lane County has previously said that existing facilities like the Kidsports Fieldhouse in Eugene and the Bob Keefer Center in Springfield are insufficient for the regional need.

I ask, after all these years, why did they not think of working with Lane County to raise the hotel tax? When the Eugene Emeralds were looking for a new stadium, that’s what they did. Travel Lane County’s response at the time was to attack former Emeralds General Manager Allan Benavides and throw him under the bus. What purpose did this serve?

When the ballot measure to build a new Emeralds stadium at the Lane Events Center was defeated last year, Travel Lane County jumped at the chance to push its vision for the events center — at the expense of stakeholders like the Lane County History Museum, which has been on the site since the 1950s.

Why not actually try working with others? This could have been done with the Emeralds, but that’s water under the bridge. Now Travel Lane County is eyeing the former Royal Caribbean call center building in Springfield, with a $50 million price tag.

The facility is not going to happen. You have had 30-plus years. Forget the Royal Caribbean building, the simple solution is the Lane Events Center, which has held sporting events in the past. Yes, there are repairs needed there. So save the money and use what you have.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Steven E. Hunnicutt
Eugene