by sir82 19 Replies latest jw friends
It is odd that is has been pulled so close to the event taking place. But basically - these conventions are now a giant cash cow for the Society who expect big subsidies from the host city & if they don't get the deal they want - they walk - regardless of the inconvenience to the rank & file ( who the Society have never cared about anyway. ) .
https://indyweek.com/news/archives/raleigh-city-council-votes-secret-give-jehovah-s-witnesses-150-000/
Separation of church and state, anyone? This is a WIN for taxpayers, forced to subsidize religious affairs for decades while the convention center failed financially due, in part, to Watchtower's notorious racketeering.
Watchtower will simply whore-out its adherents elsewhere. Hotel and restaurant bidders will work over Witness rubes until the next starry-eyed MLM group passes through.
Rochester yesterday. Wilkes-Barre today. Tomorrow, who knows where or how far Watchtower will send you to keep its coffers brimming? It's a spiritual human trafficking situation.
Go, Jo-hoes, obediently ga$ up your cars, rent your pre$elected rooms and eat your meal$ wearing badges to show who owns you. They sold you out to this new city or back to that old one. Do as you're told or you'll die at Armageddon.
And don't forget to fork over whatever's left to big pimp $kydaddy Jehovah, because he loves you.
Don't hold back, betterdaze, tell us how you really feel
Ten bucks says the business world is starting to perceive JWs and the WTS as toxic clients, and we'll end up seeing more and more shit like this in the near future.
Maybe they shouldn't have put so many Assembly Halls up for sale, huh? 
tell us how you really feel
Oh, I will. Another thing is lost wages. Every time one of these venues are built or refurbished, it's with the promise of job creation for the local economy.
So, what about convention center employees who are put out of work? Single moms, college students, retirees living hand-to-mouth on fixed incomes. Local residents and taxpayers working hard around the clock to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for all visitors, yet they're told to GO SHOVE IT because suited Watchtower heavies have taken command and control their workplace.
"Sorry kids, I know it's really hot you had your hearts set on going to the water park this summer. But Mommy lost days of work to those Witness people and I now don't even know if I can put food on the table next week. Maybe next year..."
" security personnel, emergency medical technicians, traffic police detail and janitorial services."
JWs have all that and they are quite efficient at it, especially the janitorial services. Muddy Waters might be right: Perhaps it was a requirement of the insurances.
I wonder what the actual cost was. 3.5 additional travelling time certainly sucks. I personally wouldn't have wished to see something like that happening to my dad's convention. While I don't care about the convention, I care about him... so, yeah.
Every time one of these venues are built or refurbished, it's with the promise of job creation for the local economy.
Good points Betterdaze!
I've actually been involved with the conventions there and I knew the old managers since I advertise there with my business.
People from all over Upstate NY go there, already driving 2-3h from the Adirondacks area. Pulling it to PA is a 6-8h trip for many, I wonder if they'll make it.
The problem with Blue Cross Arena is that they are not authorized to cover up advertisements prominent tort lawyers and last few months new-style Christianity churches are advertising.
The JW also lost their "we will provide our own security" pass after some youngsters broke into a VIP suite and parking ownership and prices have jumped up at least 5% per year much to the chagrin of the Witnesses.
They had to renegotiate many times and the prices went up while attendance (and cost recovery) went down, Rochester has been a booming bio/medical/tech center and thus more conferences costing more and more money. Pennsylvania is cheap, I know some other conferences that have gone there, but it's easier for them since people are already flying and businesses pay to get them there.
It's a huge arena, 15k seats I think. 4k attendees is what they are claiming but in reality the attendance was 2.5k on Sunday, and even 10 years ago, when they had 3-4k people the arena looked abandoned when the Witnesses were there.
It was not just the WTS who decided not go to Rochester, NY facility any more other groups considering not re-signing. The arena was recently taken over by another organization.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/news/2019/07/15/several-popular-live-shows-pulled-from-blue-cross-arena
Feld Entertainment said it has not reached an agreement with Pegula Sports Entertainment for any more events at the Blue Cross Arena through next year.
Some of Feld's shows include Disney on Ice, Monster Jam and Sesame Street Live!
