From the Caller-Times tonight:

"Tuesday was expected to be the day the future of Memorial Coliseum was decided by the Corpus Christi City Council.
But what's next is the question after the City Council voted to end negotiations with potential coliseum developer Brass Real Estate of San Antonio.

Council members Chris Adler, Nelda Martinez, John Marez and Mark Scott voted to end the negotiations. Council members Kevin Kieschnick, Larry Elizondo and Priscilla Leal voted against ending the negotiations. Brass planned to convert Memorial Coliseum into an ice rink and permanent home for the Corpus Christi IceRays hockey team, a movie theater, a parking garage, restaurants, shops and apartments.

If the plan failed, demolition was expected to be next step some council members forecast for the Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1954, and was the city’s primary event center until the city opened the American Bank Center in 2004."

Some comments from Caller boards:
"WELL, HERE WE GO AGAIN. SHOPS AND APARTMENTS...WHAT, BE REAL. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CORPUS AND LEFT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. I DO RETURN TO VISIT FAMILY AND MY PASSION FOR FISHING. ONE DAY I DECIDED TO TAKE A WALK ALONG THE SHORELINE. I ATTEMPTED TO WALK THE GETTY A FAVORITE FISHING SPOT AS A KID...IT WAS CHAINED CLOSED ALTHOUGH PEOPLE WALKED AROUND THE BARRIOR...RESTROOMS WERE CLOSED AND FRANKLY THE PLACE WAS QUITE PHILTHY. AS I WALKED THE SHORLINE TOWARDS THE CHANNEL, SADLY THE TRASH THAT POUNDED THE SEA WALL WAS QUITE SAD. HOW CAN THE COUNCIL...AND THE REST OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THE COLISEUM AND EXPECT MONEY TO COME INTO THE SPARKLING CITY WHEN IT'S TRASHED OUT...HOW SAD...YES MY HOME TOWN. OH YES, AND THE STREETS...SURE COULD USE SOME NEW PAVING AND NOT PATCHING. IT'S THE ACCUMULATION OF THINGS THAT NEED WORKING ON TO SUSTAIN ANY KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN CORPUS. YOU WOULD BE SUPRISED WHAT CHANGE WILL DO. PLEASE DO THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND NOT ONLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THINGS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND "MAKE IT HAPPEN" NOT JUST SIT THERE THINK YOU'RE FOOLING THE EDUCATED MIND. DON'T LOOSE RESPECT FOR YOURSELVES, AND INSTEAD OF TRYING TO AMELIORATE THINGS IN CORPUS...THEY SIT THERE AND DETERIORATE."

"I would be satisfied with either of these decisions to be made today, not tomorrow, not next week, TODAY:
1. Go full speed ahead with the Brass plan
2. Tear it down and start tearing it down tomorrow
Anything less means prolonging the agony, anything less means that we have zero decision makers on this Council, anything less means that nothing will ever change, anything less means that I have decisions to make for the sake of my mental health and the welfare of my family."

" 'If the Council doesn't go through with this BRASS deal, does anyone know the formal process of kicking out the City Council before the next election?' --It's called a petition to impeach - if you go to the city's website there should be a protocol on there under "Government". If not, look up Texas Local Government Code and City Council election recall or impeachment."

"Could we for once stop living in Mayberry and do something for the greater good of all?
I have lived all over the country and Corpus Christi is pathetic when it comes to local politics and getting things done. Pass this project and [finally] get our city pointed in the right direction in regard to economic growth and development.
That old eyesore of a building would have been completely redone about 4 1/2 years ago in a progressive minded, growth oriented city. For once, council members, do something positive and constructive. - Barney Fife"

"I am originally from CC born and raised. Moved to Houston 20 years ago. I was fortunate to move back to CC for a year in an employment contract position. I lived on the 12th floor of a condo overlooking the beautiful beach and bay. I was really embarassed when friends and family came to visit because the coliseum was the landmark. "Turn at the old dilapidated building with the torn up green roof". I never mentioned the "haunted looking", empty county courthouse. What is also a major eyesore is all the empty concrete spaces from former car lots, building foundations, failed businesses, etc. My unprofessional, humble opinion is tear the poor thing down. Excavate it and ask the owners of the other empty concrete pastures to do the same. Plant those lots in nice greenery, just grass would do, and that would go a long way, inexpensively, for those landowners after tax breaks, to at least dress up the Shoreline area displaying some "green" for the tourists that CC's economy relies so strongly on."

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Out of 71 comments, there were only TWO that applauded the City Council's decision.

Many of the comments are fed up in general or in favor of just tearing it down because they are sick of it or would rather have the swimming facility, but obviously virtually no one thinks this kind of delayed decision is appropriate or tenable.

As for me, you know, I thought the whole ice-skating thing was a little strange, I must admit. But why do all this song and dance if you're going to shoot it down in the end, apparently without another plan in hand that anyone knows about? How does government work around here?

Why did the four members vote against it, and who in the city pushed this process this far without having the votes to pass it?