Complaints About Coliseum Event
Dear Editor,
I spent 24 years managing restaurants in Greensboro. I even lived in Greensboro a couple of years before most of your Coliseum employees were born.
On Saturday past I attended the Donald Trump rally held at the Coliseum. The Trump campaign had sent out an e-mail on the day before titled “Guidance for Guests.” It explained the schedule of events, parking and parking fees. It also included a list of things not allowed in the Coliseum by the Secret Service.
Even though I had been warned about the exorbitant $20 parking fee, I still regard it as absurd. That’s more than valet parking at a high-end restaurant, and I have to do the walking.
We arrived at 8:25 a.m. and waited in the ever-growing line for three hours to get inside. There were a couple of food vendors in the parking lot and a bunch of hat and T-shirt vendors. As the time passed the line grew until it almost reached the parking lot gate where we entered. So, there were probably 5,000 people waiting in the line. Did you have anyone checking in on those folks waiting in line? Of course not. There was a large police presence, but they were all hanging out up near the building entrance. The lack of concern for the public safety that your staff and the Greensboro Police Department shared is breathtaking.
Have you heard of trash cans? If your answer is yes, there is no evidence available to support that claim. A lot of people in that line had soft drinks or bottled water or even snacks that they were consuming while waiting. I have seen at other event centers that they have disposable trash containers that are just cardboard boxes for people to put trash in. Rather than furnishing trash receptacles, you will pay someone to pick up all of the trash later and complain about those who left it there.
As I neared the front of the line, I saw two trash receptacles. One was by a set of exit doors on the building in an alcove. It was overflowing by the time I reached it. A few feet away in the same alcove was a Rubbermaid Brute trash can, probably between a 40- and 50-gallon capacity. Of course, it was turned upside down. This sparked one of the funnier lines of the day as everyone who passed asked, “How many city workers does it take to turn over a trash can?” The other trash receptacle was by the doors. It was full long before I arrived, so I just tossed my empty bottle on the pile that was growing around it. A trash can was overflowing within four feet of the entrance and no Coliseum employee could see that and make a decision to empty it. Really?
I entered the space for the rally and there were two lines of more than 50 people. One line was for the bathrooms, and one was for the concession stand. There were somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people in that hall and you couldn’t open another restroom? That’s not the only restroom in that building. By the way, one of the five urinals in the men’s room was out of order and covered with a trash bag. That left like one urinal for every 750 men. There were two employees standing in the bathroom. I can’t tell you what they were doing because neither moved while I was in there. I didn’t make it to the front of the line at the concession stand to see how many staff members you had on duty, but it obviously was not enough as the line remained long.
I won’t bother commenting on the seating that you obviously purchased in a surplus sale from Spirit Airlines. I take a better chair to sit in at flea markets. You should let people bring their own folding chairs and blankets!!
In what was a master stroke in stupidity, the concession stand closed down around 1 p.m. At the time, there were still more than 50 people in line. With the event not scheduled to start until 2 p.m., you closed the concession stand and left thousands of people without access to food or drinks. You had a captive audience of thousands, and you stopped selling food and drinks. Really? This may be the answer to “What is the dumbest thing I have ever seen” question. You are selling incredibly overpriced drinks and food and you stopped for no reason. There were a couple of medical emergencies during the rally. Were those caused by the lack of access to food and drinks?
Your policies prohibit people bringing in food or drinks and you stopped selling food and drinks. Do you see the possible issue here? You left thousands of people without food and/or beverages. If you aren’t going to have the concession stands open, how about some vending machines?
Here’s my personal issue. I have diabetes. I left a few minutes before the rally ended because my blood sugar level was dropping, and I didn’t want to add to the medical emergency numbers for the event. I spent more than 50 years in the restaurant business, and I am telling you that you need to hire some professionals to run your operation.
Years ago, I read an article in the Greensboro News and Record written by someone in the city government. This person described the Greensboro Coliseum as Greensboro’s “crown jewel.” The author was obviously someone who shopped for “crown jewels” at the Dollar Tree.
I suggest that you either turn this over to professional management or return it to the cow pasture from whence it came.
Gilbert Jones
Don’t Sort Your Trash
Dear Editor,
Is there any limit to the overbearing arrogance of those people who call themselves our “public servants”?
To provide one trivial example, we are admonished to sort through our garbage, expected to discriminate between this item and that item, as if we were unpaid trained trash sorters. We are not, and it is not incumbent upon us in any way to comply with the PC predilections of our servants.
When we discard our rubbish we surrender our title to it as we wheel it to the curb. That means that we voluntarily give up our ownership of it, and the city or private trash collector can do with it what they please.
If they have an odd preference for red things, they are at liberty to go through our trash and help themselves to all things red. It is no longer any concern of ours.
In exactly the same way, if they have a strange preference for plastic, or cardboard, or whatever, they are free to search through our trash and help themselves to whatever it is that they want. But it is not our obligation to do that for them. We are not their servants. They are ours.
The whole recycling scheme is bull, of course. But if the public sector wants to impose another feel good program on us, the least it can do is to perform its own work.
Just chuck your refuse in the trash.
Let the saintly ones sort it out. Hey, that’s what they want, right?
Austin Morris
So, I guess the headline for the Trump event at the colosseum should read “Trashy Rip Off of an Event”?
Sounds right.
We get it Austin. You don’t like the environment and any attempt to improve our impact on it is a waste of your time.
But you be you.
You missed the point entirely – because you’re an idiot.
The letter regarding the Colosseum yeah, I read it with disgust for the Colosseum. It’s employees, and in particular, it’s Management. Perhaps their callous lack of concern and respect for those who came to the convention center to hear Trump was because they were Trump haters. A lot of people, mostly Democrats, have this stupid idea that anybody but Trump is better than Trump. It reveals their ignorance and the way they often treat people who support Trump and his moderate policies for America is rooted in hatred. They should be ashamed of themselves, but of course they’re too blind and it’s hard to be shameful when you’re blind.
How about anybody but a lying, raping, dictator? The shame lies with the idiots, racists, and anti-feminists who endorse this maniac.
Hey Glenn……..Trump NEVER raped anyone…….the schizoid woman in New York could not even tell the jury what year her so-called rape occurred and it was a Civil case not a criminal case…….only 10 states in the Union would ever have allowed such a case be brought to court – it’s NYC dude – the jury is tainted and corrupt from any reasonable person’s point of view. She will never get a dime hopefully. As to sexual assault …..I find it despicable that you want to call Trump a rapist when Biden himself has been accused of sexual assault by Tara Reade and accused of impropriety by his own daughter. As to lying…….Biden’s lies continue to be manifest – even today Robert Hur testified under oath that his report on Biden’s testimony concerning the mishandling of documents was accurate. Biden has been a lifelong liar and plagiarist…….easily documented. As to Trump becoming a dictator……..you’re a fool to believe the narrative of the Leftist media and the lying and befuddled Biden. Trump has a track record. No dictatorship in the resume dude. Idiots endorse Biden Glenn.
You don’t have to read media to know Trump wants to be a dictator within a totalitarian government. Just listen his own words. Especially his praise of other totalitarian leaders like Putin. Oh, and of course when he bragged he only wanted to be a dictator for one day. LOL, that was rather telling even if a joke. People suckered by fear endorse Trump. Most of what he is says it lies, exaggeration or straight up crazy. Let me know how many examples you would like and I am happy to provide.
Donald Trump Rally at the Greensboro Coliseum
Surprise, Surprise! Did you expect any better for a Republican Event from your WOKE Mayor, City Manager, and Greensboro Chief of Police? Remember these are some of the same individuals that cancelled Greensboro’s long running Gun Show without discussion or a vote from City Council costing our City Taxpayers over $800,000!
Do your homework and check to see if parking fees were charged for Joe Biden’s 2020 Rally at the Greensboro Coliseum parking lot. And don’t forget this is the event the Guilford County Schools donated their school buses (78?), drivers, and transportation cost to the Democratic Party for this event.
Give up my friend, you live in the Banna Republic of Greensboro, North Carolina and Guilford County where corruption and crime are out of control!
Jim Donaldson
Mr. Jones , you are familiar enough with Greensboro so you know how this weak excuse of a council operates. Anyway, they have other embarrassing items they are devoting their time too.
Mr. Gilbert Jones – Your letter gives me great joy, as I love to laugh at Trumpers’ misfortunes. I’m very sorry that you had such a terrible experience, and I know this falls mainly on Coliseum/City staffs for blame; but know this: You lay with dogs (Trump) you get what you paid (astronomically) for.
Chris……I wonder how many Biden voters will vote for Trump this go around? In 2020 those who voted for Biden did not know he was going to open up the southern border to all kinds of nefarious activity to the point where even Democrat city mayors are complaining loud and clear. They did not know that Biden would be presiding over two new wars since being sworn in nor did they know he would oversee the debacle of a withdrawal from Afghanistan. They did not know that the essentials (things that every strata of our society need – energy, food, insurance for examples), have risen 17–21% across the nation depending on where you live. They did not know Biden would not heal, not unite, and be an angry loud mouthed bully whether answering reporters or giving the SOTU message on 3/7. Now they know that this man is not worthy to occupy the office of the Presidency. Is Trump? Perhaps not. But, when you actually compare their records while in office – it’s a no brainer, even for those who have no brain, it’s got to be Trump or don’t vote the Presidency – just go down the ballot and skip the office of the Presidency – at least then you can say “I didn’t vote for the man” and you would be telling the truth.
I know several people who sat out the last election as they understood the danger Trump poses to democracy. This year they are not sitting out the election and voting for Biden.
The border fear mongering is rather silly now that Republicans refused to pass the most conservative immigration reform Bill ever submitted. Going forward, any issues at the border are the fault of conservatives refusing to pass a bill THEY negotiated. The border bill being canceled is juay another example that Trump doesn’t care about our great country and only cares about himself.
Hopefully former Biden voters will sit out the 2024 election – much, much more evidence showing that Biden is incompetent in numerous ways. As to the border Chris……..your ignorance of the Bill is astounding. It was not the majority of Republicans who crafted the Bill in the Senate – the Senate dude, not the House. The crafting was led by Schumer. The Bill did not close the border – it simply provided funding for more border agents to “PROCESS” the illegals (I’m using Biden’s term used during his angry and loud SOTU address). It did not provide funding for the continuation of the building of the Wall. But, there was a lot of money that could be used to “help” the illegals once they were permitted entry – which would have been quicker with more border agents to process them. If Biden really wanted to end the border disaster for America he could issue an Executive Order ending temporarily any asylum requests. He could also get with Mexico’s President Oberdan, like Trump did, and re-start the “Stay in Mexico” policy that worked fairly well during Trump’s term. But, Biden and the Democrats are not REALLY interested in closing the border are they Chris?
It closes the border after 5000 Encounters per day. It would close the asylum loophole by detaining all illegal crossers and processing their asylum request within 15 days. (Read…no more catch and release)
With the majority of requests not being accepted. With the closure of the loophole far fewer would find it worth the cost to cross. Not complicated. I think your lack of understanding of the bill is astounding.
Republicans clearly don’t want to solve the problem. Heck, they didn’t even propose a any real reform the last time they controlled both houses and the White House when the surge in crosses actually started under Trump. The wall was and still is a joke based on the sections built that are easily climbed over and easily tunneled under.
Real reform requires congress to reform long outdated laws.
If you want to give credit for such a conservative bill to the democrats? Great! They deserve credit for actually trying to solve the problem. Unlike the do nothing incompetent Republicam controlled House.
But you be you.
Rick’s comments are true.
Chrissy just flails around with liberal talking points.
Austin, I actually read a good deal of the bill and am confident in my interpretation of the bill. Happy to debate a specific section if you disagree. Unlike you, I don’t think I am infallible and am happy to engage if you have specifics versus just calling me names and saying I am wrong.
That’s okay. I am not a Greensboro or Guilford County resident so that $20 is all that they will see from me. Best of luck operating that second-rate entertainment venue supported by tax dollars.
Count your blessings!
That’s very narrowminded and very Democrat of you. Revel in the other side’s misfortune not realizing that when a Dem event happens there, it will have the same problems. Then when it does happen, you will all cry foul in shock that it could have happened to you in such an unfair manner.
Mr Bradsher , karma is a bitch but I truly hope one day YOU get bit by a rabid dog wearing a hat with 45 on it. Have a great day
Gilbert, do you suppose your experience at the rally was designed to be that way by our local socialist government?
Mr. Jones,
Thank you for your support and diligence for the MAGA movement. Your experience is not much different than what I experienced at the 2015 rallies there. Unfortunately, Greensboro has been under communist influence for a good 20 years or so, but fortunately there are signs that is about to change. The pendulum swings both ways and when it gets stretched one way it comes back with more force the other way, so not much longer until the self-flushing turd is gone.
The political pendulum never goes back. It just jerks the fulcrum in the same direction and then continues to move left.
Margaret Thatcher called it The Ratchet Effect. Some kind of leftward momentum seems to be prevalent, and it takes a strong leader and a strong personality to reset the dial.
You know, like Mrs Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, or… Donald Trump.
Someone clearly doesn’t understand the definition of communism. I fully understand it is a scary word you use in your circle jerk conservative circles given your inability to address the complexity of the real issues faced by our society. Try again.
Best wishes.
There is no definitive definition of communism. What Marx proposed was state ownership of the factors of production, except for labor itself, which was obviously impracticable.
Marx was incorrect on everything. He predicted that advanced economies, specifically Great Britain, would be the first communist societies. Wrong… big time.
And by the way Chrissy, you don’t have the intellectual ability to debate the nature and essence of Marxism, or Leninism, or Trotskyism, or Stalinism.
You’re just not smart enough.
I study US history. Have not had much interest in studying Marx, Leninism or Trotskyism etc… As you point out, they were long failed ideas. I do however know that Hate is both a noun and a verb.
I also know that conservatives were wrong about Trickle Down economics but still continue to push the idea to appease their wealthy donors.
———-
“Trickle Down Economics”….? What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
_______
Deflection, deflection, deflection. Do you want to debate the Laffer Curve and Reaganomics suddenly?
You’re an imbecile.
….. and evidently, you do not know that hate is not capitalized, because it is not a proper noun.
Another fail from our Village Idiot.
You brought up failed economic / governmental models. I was just adding the pile.
Since you don’t like or believe in dictionaries given your lack of acknowledgement of the word hate as both a noun and a verb, here is the standard definition of communism:
“a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.”
Yes, like democracy, there are many variants on the model attempted throughout history, but the standard definition is very clear. Referring to Democrats as communists is just silly fear monger BS by angry ignorant people.
Let me guess, you will call me silly childish names and play grammar police to my lazy proof-reading skills. Why? Because you can’t defend the idea the Democrats actually want to turn the US into a communist country as inferred by OldSkool .
No, that’s not true.
“OldSkool” brought up “communist influence”, and you brought up “the definition of communism”.
THE PROOF IS IN BLACK & WHITE ABOVE.
You, Chrissy, are incapable of even getting your premises correct. And incorrect premises lead to incorrect conclusions. That is why you are a Leftist. You are not smart enough to distinguish reality from fakery, because you are stupid.
“Garbage in, garbage out”
PS
You should learn the difference between inferred and implied.
Otherwise you just look like the idiot you are.
Pathetic little wanker.
It’s not about communism today…….there is not any communism as envisioned by Marx and Hegel being practiced today……..it’s about totalitarianism…….government control of the people.
Right. Like Trump wanting to be in charge without accountability and surrounded only by those who kiss his diapered covered bum. That is why I am no longer a registered republican. I know many others who feel the same way.