Bridgeport must promote its assets: concert venues, attractions, destination points, parks, restaurants, arts community, sporting events, new housing Downtown. It’s an economic driver that brings folks into the city and reminds residents about positive options in their community. The electronic billboard at the Webster Bank Arena promotes in rotation a variety of businesses and venue events. One ad promotes the city with Mayor Bill Finch taking the lead. The mayor highlighting the city is good for the city, in view of tens of thousands of vehicle traffic each day.
In the Downtown area alone, there’s the arena, ballpark at Harbor Yard, Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Bijou Theatre, Klein Memorial and growing restaurant options. Check out what’s going on at infobridgeport.com
Here’s CT Post scribe Brian Lockhart’s take:
It’s not uncommon for elected officials, Democrats like Finch and Republicans, to appear in ads related to their office.
They’re not elected to be shut-ins and one could argue promotion–be it of the city or state–is part of the job. But such ads can also raise questions about the fine line between doing that job and using public resources to campaign.
More here.
For years I have been lamenting the tissue-thin, small-town state of Beepo public relations. I have tried, in vain, to help. Where is a comprehensive website for visitors, such as the thousands who came here for women’s hoops last weekend? New Haven once again grinds The Park City under its heel.
New Haven doesn’t have to put up with Testa and Timpanelli. We need to identify our candidate now!!!
Who is his advertising agency? That was one of the most sophomoric advertisements I’ve ever seen.
The old axiom of advertising is:
“KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid.”
And stupid didn’t in this case.
Hope they didn’t forget the city Golf course, here’s the link:
www .fairchildwheelergolf.com
Thanks James for the link. I’ve played a lot of golf courses in the past 55 years and the layout of both the red and black courses are quite challenging. Regretfully, these two economic assets to Bridgeport were woefully treated during the Ganim and Fabrizi administrations by Bergschneider and National Fairways. Hopefully the city can find a way to promote this pearl of an asset and recoup lost revenues without raising taxes.
The Bill-Bored is illegal as it is in violation of the city zoning and building code.
*** The billboard city promotion is a “good” idea, however lose the “grinch” picture and replace it with pictures of past and present famous people from Bpt or its nearby towns, no? Also start promoting the upcoming Vibes concerts on I-95, Rts. 25 and 8, etc., billboards or any other spring and summer music or sports attractions that will be in the Park City. A “Zombie Fest” would also be in order for the Fall season right before local tax-hike elections, no? *** WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE PEOPLE LATELY? ***
And maybe some promotion for a Bridgeport Winter Carnival and Snowfest …
KUDOS to the FINCH administration for finally doing some marketing.The billboard itself is very dull. It could be more exciting. There should be a billboard on the Steelepointe site touting a billion dollar project. I have no problem with our Mayor showing pride on the billboard, however his photo doesn’t really help promote Bridgeport. Very pleased with the effort. Keep it up!
Must still be looking for a job, Steve; make sure you wipe that brown off your nose.
You must be an asshole. You should learn to give credit where credit is due. I would love to work for the City of Bridgeport. I cannot imagine anyone who knows me would think otherwise. So there. You must be that one individual who does not know that. Therefore Chosen 1 we must not know each other. Also this blog is not my platform for attempting to destroy Finch. No individual can ever accuse me of having an obsequious character trait. When Finch does good I will say so. He is our Mayor and represents our city. Anything the administration does to market Bridgeport gets a pat on the back. Stop whining!
Do you aspire to work for the City of Bridgeport because you are unable to secure employment elsewhere? Those who really know you seldom suggest you are competent and capable.
Really? Do name one. Put me in my place, yahooy. I mean I see you as a schmuck. You know my name. Do share. Just one name would suffice.
You and the bill board have a lot in common.
So you get the visual yahooy, a schmuck is a Jewish term describing an individual as a limp part of the male genitalia.
Oh.
Belle Barth once said, “If you haven’t got one, you are.”
From the millisecond Foster was destroyed you have been sucking up looking for a job.
Pathetic.
You took a stand backing a rich white woman with a snowball’s chance in hell of winning and you have licked the tip ever since.
Oh now I get it. I was one of the individuals who worked my ass off for Foster but had never asked or requested a position. Foster’s biggest downfall was surrounding herself with the disgruntled miserably me anti-Finch people who have had a position or job or commission. I supported Finch during his first run against Caruso. He was definitely the right choice. I most likely would have supported Fabrizi until he decided not to run. I am happily unconnected to the Democratic party in Bridgeport nor has anyone asked me to get involved. I thank G-d Joe Ganim separated me from the City as serving in a corrupt administration would have been a very demoralizing experience given my genuine love for Bridgeport and my disgust for pure politics. I will always support the right man or woman at the right time for the right reason. I believed Mary-Jane Foster would have been more aggressive with economic development. Now it has been a long time and Finch is doing fine on that point. The way I see it Finch doesn’t have any worries for the next 10 years. Unless there is some corruption issues I’d say get on the bus or get out of the way. Tax increase … what else is new? Now I am getting ready to have dinner and a drink with Mario and my life will be complete yahooy and Chosen 1 … enjoy!
Good for you. I’ll bet you’re paying for the drinks.
What does the fact MJF is white have to do with it?
We should assume Chosen 1 isn’t.
This billboard is a waste of taxpayer money. First, it features Finch and not the city. Second, cities don’t tweet, people do. Any promotion of the City should promote sites and their history, not the Mayor. He is not doing a good job and wants to raise our taxes again despite his promise to “hold the line on taxes.” He’s evidently just another career politician looking to self-promote. We have too many of them, which is why government has so many problems.
Career politician … as opposed to people like yourself who are hired guns for wealthy business people who want to dismantle social safety net programs like SS, Obamacare … not to mention privatizing everything.
Walker doesn’t like the sign because it has Finch’s picture on it and not his.
Pathetic, Steve Auerbach. This city job you are sucking up for; it wouldn’t be Economic Development? I don’t see a putz (Hebrew for Steve Auerbach) like you representing the city in any capacity.
Actually yahooy, putz is not a Hebrew word … it is Yiddish … two different languages with the same alphabet.
Oy vey iz mir.
I do not either. The city needs a cheerleader like yourself.
I didn’t realize I was such a controversial figure yahooy or Chosen 1. Thank you for making me feel like a celebrity even if just for a brief moment. You made my day. Now I can work in my yard and hit the gym. Hopefully Lennie can come up with some more controversial topics.
The next person to represent the city will not be a bow-tied legend in his own mind nor a Black Rock socialite who was overheard telling people she ran because she disliked the sitting mayor.
The first minority mayor will be elected and the machine will finally blow a gasket.
Who is going to be that rep.?
Better choose and back soon.
Keep dreaming.
The problem with your theory is the black leaders and the Hispanic leaders can’t get together because they are busy playing mine is bigger than yours.
Andy, there are no Black or Hispanic leaders–they’re all followers. As for the mine is bigger than yours, I take it you mean their paychecks.
Oh come on Chosen, don’t be such a Pollyanna and pay closer attention. The first minority mayor will be backed by the machine. Don’t we have enough examples of other machine-backed minority pols for you?
The last Hispanic to hold the highest elected position–City Council President–in the City of Bridgeport, left the City in a 29 million dollar deficit. He became a State Rep. and did shit other than voting to raise taxes (the biggest increase in state history). He then is posted for State Senator by Finch. So far, he remained silent on all major issues; supported taking the people’s right to vote for BOE leaders; kept his double chin motionless when the governor cut over 100 million dollars in social service funding. With Puerto Ricans like that, I’d rather you all look at me as a White, Rich Republican from Greenwich.
This is a “Bill” board if I ever saw one.
I find it reminiscent of the green “How do you like me so far?” neighborhood revitalization signs that were slapped up around the city during the last Mayoral election cycle.
What happened to those signs btw?
They were buried alongside Ed Koch.
Finch, unlike Koch, is an empty suit with no substantial resume other than being a presentable, good-looking white guy who knows how to speak without saying anything substantive.
The way to end this mess is the lemming theory.
We find a leader, a true representative of the people and follow that person off a cliff.
Ernie! Ernie! Ernie!
Never in my life have I seen a suck-up like you, Steve.
Really? They need to let you out a little more often. SINCE THE GLASS CEILING HAS BEEN SHATTERED BY ELECTING BARACK OBAMA TWICE I THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN ELECTING A MINORITY ON A LOCAL LEVEL. Chosen 1 when you say you have never seen a suck-up like me, what are you really saying? Are you insinuating I am a sycophant to my best friend Bill? Lolololololol.
I have had the pleasure to know Steve Auerbach for about 25 years. While many of us have a hard-on for or against Finch, Steve has always worn his heart on his sleeve for Bridgeport! I don’t always agree with his positions but he would be an asset to any administration. Too bad the Asses at 999 Broad don’t recognize this. Then again they can’t get their heads out of their asses!
Tom Kelly
Seriously?
Chosen 1, I appreciate this badinage with you and yahooy. I am not sure why you’re so hostile toward me for supporting positive happenings in the City. The loathing of the Mayor is sad. To assault me for wanting to serve the City or not serve the City is strange. In case yo did not get the memo, Bill Finch is our Mayor. Talking to you guys is like talking to a Fox news contributor. They haven’t gotten the memo Obama won the election. As far as politics go, local politics bore me. I am a political addict more interested In What’s happening in the world. LOCALLY, yawn.
You don’t get it, you had the perfect candidate and let him go broke instead of using your brains.
Foster couldn’t win and her plan was to force GOMES to join her when none of his minority voters voted for her.
You suck up to so many sides your stomach needs pumping.
Come on Chosen, Gomes didn’t go broke; John never had money in the first place. No doubt John brings a skill set to the table, but unless he figures out how to raise money he’ll not resonate in a citywide election. He’s better off first winning a City Council seat where he’d actually be a formidable candidate on the East Side, build up some prestige, create a platform in the hope potential contributors would give him a look for mayor.
John is a smart guy but he is far from perfect. And if you think John is the type of guy who will allow anyone to force him to do anything, you need to re-assess your relationship with him.
The John Gomes I know is not the type to be pushed into anything. The Mary-Jane I know is well aware of the fact you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. That, my friend is called wisdom gained through experience. The reality is John’s campaign was floundering, and MJ offered him an opportunity to combine forces and try to bring democracy back to town. She was very well aware of what he could bring to the table and embraced it.
The fact you are claiming, John’s supporters did not vote for her, speaks more to the quality of the loyalty of John’s supporters and his ability to lead than anything else. I seriously don’t think he would want you to do that at all. I am all in favor of you talking up John on this blog, but please DO that instead of shooting yourself and unfortunately him in the foot. You are not hurting MJF, press is press and you are making John look bad, not her.
No one is talking GOMES up.
My words were he was the perfect candidate for the makeup of our city.
College educated, Puerto Rican wife, he’s Cape Verdean.
If people really want to end the machine, you fund that perfect candidate.
Hey Chosen 1, we agree on something. John Gomes is a fine man and I happily visit Red Rooster Deli to chat. I agree with Lennie. He should establish himself as a councilman. Winning a citywide election without name recognition is tough. To be honest Chosen 1, if I met you and you were working on John’s campaign, I would most likely never show up again. I am not sure if you are a man or a woman but it must make you feel comfortable hiding behind a screen name like Chosen 1 while assaulting the characters of others. When I make a comment at least you know where it is coming from.
Finch and the Calamarians have put an inordinate number of shitheads to work since taking office. It speaks volumes Auerbach isn’t one of them.
THANK YOU … I THINK.
You would.
I don’t work on campaigns, I work a job that requires I work too much.
Putting GOMES in a compartment is stupid and shortsighted.
What has Foster won? Councilman?
DUDE, she lost the election, get over it!
Mary-Jane Foster has been involved in different capacities all over the city. Her being a rich white woman married to a Republican was not her downfall. I thought she was honest and sincere and determined to get development off the ground. Timing is everything. Her message didn’t resonate because of well-placed rumors she was a racist and Republican. Time moves on … If MJF decided to run again and had a platform I supported I’d be there in a heartbeat. If not, Finch will have development well underway and I do not think anyone will want change. I could be wrong but I doubt it.
*** AND THE WINNERS ARE????????? ***
Ralph, right now the statement should be …
“And the LOSERS are (is) … BRIDGEPORT.”
Steve,
When you were growing up you probably saw some dudes who bullied others. They did not do it in an obvious place where they would be known and observed. But to encounter them in an out-of-the-way location where they had numbers in their favor was to understand “terror” as a youth.
Being able to post is a privilege. It’s a chance to tell the world what is important to you and why it is important. When your name is used you become a target for the bullies.
However, you don’t need kung fu or any other martial arts discipline to face them down. My ass was kicked once or twice on the way home from school or church, but I found a new way of avoiding those folks. I learned from my experience. What I have learned posting in my own name is to keep what is important to me obvious to all: OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT governance is the reason I write here, why I attend lots of City meetings, and why I talk with everybody.
I find many who bully do not do so in their own name. I find they do not have a clear reason for even participating other than to put others down. They learned an incorrect life lesson at some time in the past, the way to raise your own status is to attempt to kick the shit out of others. Wrong lesson! Should have flunked! Maybe works in the short run, but then you miss the bus once too often and everybody looks at you as a bitter broken-down “maybe has been.” Think how tough that is to live with when you look in the mirror in the morning. Find your star, dream your dreams, do your best to advance your dream. And Steve, if Bridgeport’s progress is where it is at for you, keep pursuing it in the positive manner you do. As to the others, after they leave … will anybody notice? Time will tell.