Racine Mayor Vetoes Arena Project, Disagreement Looms

RACINE, WI — Racine Mayor Cory Mason has officially filed paperwork with the city to veto funding for a $55 million event center and hotel project that had previously been included in the city's budget.

This week's announcement comes as a fulfillment of a campaign promise to bring the arena project to a halt, citing numerous reasons. "Getting people back to work is a lot more important than building a hockey rink," Mason said during one of the debates leading up to the election.

The arena and hotel project had been proposed by former mayor John Dickert.

City officials have considered building a 208,000-square-foot hotel and event center at 322 Lake Ave. for more than a year. The project would include a three-story, 3,500-seat event center and a seven-story, 150-room adjoining hotel.

According to media reports, the project would be funded through a yearly tax increase to homeowners of $11.78 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home.

"It costs too much money, and people here in Racine simply don't support it," Mason said in September prior to the primary election. "The county is not on board, the private sector was lukewarm at best, there is no big benefactor who has come forward to claim the naming rights, no hotel developer has been identified. We don't have any of those things in place, and without it we shouldn't move forward. I support economic development projects, we need to rebuild our city. We need to do things that will work in the real world."

Greta Neubauer, a Democratic candidate for the open State Rep. seat vacated when Mason took office as Mayor, said she also opposes the arena project.

“I support Mayor Mason’s veto of the Arena, because it is the right thing to do ... I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors across Racine the people I’ve talked with overwhelmingly oppose the arena," she said in a prepared statement. "We need to send a strong message to anyone who has voted for, or supported this project in the past - they need to start listening to the people of Racine.”

Disagreement Looms

The City Council would need to override Mason's veto with a two-thirds majority in order to move forward on funding.

According to a BizTimes report, Dennis Wiser, who returned to his seat as common council president on Nov. 7 when Mason was sworn in, said the project has the support of the majority of the council.

“At this point, we have enough votes to overcome a veto,” Wiser said in late October in the BizTimes. “The council is very supportive of this project. We are looking at the jobs and the extra dollars this would bring to the city. We’re also watching Foxconn closely, because it will bring more revenue to the city and we want to know what those dollars look like.”

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