Live Blog: DIA interviews 2 finalists

[thelakelander]

Jim Bailey asks how to get suburbanites to buy into downtown being important. Wallace responds by pointing out that Jags games will showcase DT. Are we comfortable with that? Also talks about DT being a donor neighborhood, in terms of funding.

I do not like that idea.  The rationale for a vibrant Downtown cannot be so that it can be the piggy bank for the rest of the city.

That kind of thinking is what helped to destroy it in the first place.

I agree!

[thelakelander]

Is it too late to call Edwards??

If the DIA board members aren't completely sold on either candidate, they sure as crap better.

Well for the love of god, its better to make no decision and do no harm than make a decision for the sake of decision making and pick a bad fit.
[/quote

Is it too late to call Edwards??

If the DIA board members aren't completely sold on either candidate, they sure as crap better.

Well for the love of god, its better to make no decision and do no harm than make a decision for the sake of decision making and pick a bad fit.

Well, Wallace is winning this round, IMO. Hanna says the DIA board is where his bread will be buttered. Even if the rest of the world hates him.

[TheCat]

q) transit oriented development?
a) I love it. example given.

q) how can you bring developers into the vacant land? I haven't heard anything about branding? What is your management style?
a) There is all sorts of way to get that done. Marketing needs to be used. Folks need a reason to come.

q) Perez: How will you build your staff? what is your management style?
a) Atlanta Development Authority did not exist before I got there. I was the first employee. I had to build the staff from scratch. It was him and a telephone all day long. We had 40 people on staff. In new orleans, i manage about 8 people.

Flatters the board. Brings up if the board hears anything in the media or in the church to talk to him first before making an assessment.

--

Terry Lorince is here. A couple of reporters. There is about 15 people in the audience.

[thelakelander]

Who else is present for the meeting?  Any of the development or political community?

13, not including the DIA, city staff, me and Arash. Most are media. Others include Noone, Terry Lorince, the CRA consultant and a disinterested kid that was dragged here by a parent.

[TheCat]

Hannah:

He has spent the last 15 minutes saying that the board is in charge of the DIA he takes his orders from them. And that he "hopes" that they'll hear him out and consider his input. He's incredibly long-winded but his answers don't go anywhere. It's like looking at a group of "keywords" we're hearing words that matter but they're not cohesive sentences.

Twice, maybe thrice, the board has prefaced their question with "be brief"..that doesn't work.

Mike Saylor asks a good question: Where on the spectrum do you fall? Are you the type of guy that says "this is my agenda" or "what do you want to happen"? How will you approach the board?

He answers it in a round about way by saying I will talk to people and get their input.

Three cheers for the disinterested kid working on some kind of a boy scout project.

[thelakelander]

Hanna's presentation is over. He mentioned he went to Davidson College and on of Dell Curry's kids played basketball there. not sure how that relates. Board discussion will now follow.

[CityLife]

Hanna's presentation is over. He mentioned he went to Davidson College and on of Dell Curry's kids played basketball there. not sure how that relates. Board discussion will now follow.

I think Mark McGuire's brother played baseball there too.

[TheCat]

More on Hanna:

He spent the vast majority of his time speaking about projects from other cities which didn't add to his presentation and knowledge. It came across more as a smoke screen. Or, like a guy talking about his last girlfriends. You're left with "what about Jacksonville?"

Wallace:

Though I did miss half of Wallace's presentation he still comes across as the clear choice.

Just comparing the Q&A portion Wallace gave me more of a sense of confidence. Wallace spoke in terms of long-term strategy. It felt like the "buck stopped with him" . He considered himself the expert and the leader.

Hanna on the other hand seemed to continually defer to the expertise of other agencies and organizations. He seemed less assured. Hanna seems like he is more of a project manager not necessarily a leader with a vision.

[thelakelander]

What sense are you getting from the interview subcommittee?

Melody Bishop: Says Wallace is a bit more of a cheerleader. Concerned that Hanna deferred answering questions instead of offering his opinions.

[thelakelander]

Mike Saylor: Impressed by Hanna's ability to speak off the cuff. Said you can flip coin because they are so close.

[thelakelander]

Kay Harper: said Hanna has better experience from working in bigger cities. She's bragging about Atlantic Station.

[thelakelander]

Unfortunately, Hanna didn't do that and thats not downtown.

[thelakelander]

So there are three candidates?  Harris, Hanna and Wallace?

two. Hanna and Wallace.

[thelakelander]

Tony Allegretti: impressed by Wallace presentation. Wallace brought supporting material. Hanna did not.

[thelakelander]

Oliver Barakat: Wallace strong in private sector finance. Hanna stronger in public sector finance. Charisma is important. Said Wallace had the ability to bring excitement to his presentation. Weakness of Wallace is he doesn't have as much management experience.