Now that my sensationalist headline has your attention…
We’ve just received word from Dave Hill, owner of the Century Center, that as of January the Century Center will no longer act as a concert or event venue. Instead, the cavernous building will be converted to a for-lease retail space.
Hill has long faced opposition from his residential neighbors, as well as commercial neighbor, Nosler. Both take issue the noise and traffic generated by concerts at the Century Center.
This sad new comes on the heels of The Horned Hand’s recent legal battles concerning a $500 noise ordinance violation which owner Wesley Ladd received this summer. Ladd continues to catch hell and was visited by the police again last Friday after the same disgruntled neighbor lodged ANOTHER call of complaint.
And, if you’ll remember, Bend Roots Revival, a weekend-long music festival, was canceled this fall after the Century Center’s issues with its residential and commercial neighbors proved too much for Hill to bear.
Also troubling—we’ve also noticed a marked decrease in the number of shows at Player’s, a westside Bend bar and music venue that borders a residential zone.
The good news here is
A) The Horned Hand will continue booking shows
B) The December concerts already booked at the Century Center WILL GO ON. That means the Larry and His Flask New Year’s Eve show WILL STILL HAPPEN.
C) A new-and-improved City Council will give the current noise ordinance ANOTHER look at the beginning of the year.
This article appears in Give Guide.
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Oy ve ! Sorry to see Dave giving up the fight but I can certainly understand why he did. The City Council needs to wake up to the realities of what is best for Bend’s CULTURE & ECONOMY. This city needs to be built on the philosophy that we need to encourage and reward the arts, youth culture and last but not least, a thriving tourist economy. Beer, outdoor sports and other unique attractions continue to attract visitors to our area…the night life should be on that list of attractions too. The council needs to realize that crafting the city’s ordinances to cater to its older residents has not future (sorry to my in-laws, but it’s true). It must be a proportional compromise, meaning everyone’s voices need to be heard, not just the quiet older residents who fear their little town is turning into a city and make the phone calls. They need to realize that putting up obstacles to night life and youth culture means putting up obstacles to economic growth, and to the city’s best potential future.
Sorry to hear that. It just bugs the hell out of me that folks who CHOSE to buy homes in or near commercially zoned areas suddenly feel they have the right to change the rules. I can’t stand the thought of them rejoicing over the fact that they killed a venue that supported a blossoming and eclectic music community. If you don’t want to hear the noise of a bustling city, move to the country! Or at the very least, don’t buy near commercially zoned properties!
As for Dave, thank you for supporting the arts in the past. This move is understandable in the wake of the controversy surrounding the venue.
Well said, Gabe. Agree 100%.
One more item to add to the “good news” list:
D) On December 14th, The Dirksen Derby Kickoff Party featuring StealHead WILL STILL GO ON. Come support local music, the arts, and Tyler Eklund. Go out with a bang and crank the amps to 11?
NOSLER made noise complaints? Didn’t they BLOW UP their building a while back? I bet that was pretty loud…
It is too bad, buy hey, they became a concert venue AFTER people were living in the area. I hope they find a middle ground to this issue. I doubt that it will ever go away though.
One thing of good news, Red Light Productions of Bend,OR, since 2002 has shows starting mid DEC-March at Players Bar And Grill, myself and Josh (Owner) have one goal bring GOOD live music to players on a regular basis, and remodel and have a full kitchen all starting mid DEC, I will continue to bring music even if the threat of noise violations, I have a nice Tab going with the city I refuse to pay. <3 John RLP
Nosler:
This was about Nosler who has a hidden agenda. Make no mistake. Nosler bully’s anything that gets in the way of there expansion, follow the money. I don’t believe Nosler is a bout community at all, but only about money. They’ll probably read this and try to go write a charity check to buy their way out of this valid stigma:) Hey Nosler, I know your probably reading this, and make no mistake, the anger you are feeling is a reaction to the truth. I believe if the public looks closer at the story you’ll see the real truth about people with money thinking they own this town when actually they are just a poor excuse for a citizen. Maybe Bill Smith and Nosler can try to screw over some small children while they raise rents in the Old Mill to push people out, mess around with our music, stop skate parks from going in, selfishly try to not let any other venues have music since they own Les Schwab. How many out there know that Bill Smith and Nosler sit together on the board? Me being a server at 10 Barrel leaves me in fear we’ll get screwed over next. Every one stand up against the “Bob’s”. Yes, Nosler names each son a Bob, one goes by Robert. Not sure which one of the three have a puckered you know what. Good luck out there citizens, don’t sit on your hands, and fight greedy people anytime you can by just… simply speaking out.
Sounds like “Nosler hates you” is an ex-employee with an axe to grind. Sorry if working the lube rack was a bit too mentally challenging for you. Clearly you worked there just long enough to become tragically uninformed. Fact is that Nosler is a premium example of capitalism at its best. Take raw materials, add technology and man power, and high value items emerge on the other side. The company is a boon to Central Oregon, having employed Central Oregonians since the fifties. Furthermore, very little of their revenue is derived from the local area, most is drawn in from other places. It is new money to the local economy.
Of course Nosler is a prime example of capitalism at it’s best. We just need to add the pig at the end to make the word capitalistic pigs and then you are accurate. There is an ethical way to do business. It’s called not being an asshole. When I worked at Nosler, all they ever talked about was money, money, money. Pay their employees like crap and they don’t care about music, or no music. They don’t care about their neighbors or our community. They only care about the road that splits and runs between their buildings. Their real agenda is to build a building across it. They only want to complain as much as possible because they are trying to figure out a way to get control of that road. They’ve done everything except pay off the city. So if it happens you know that they did from all the ass kissing they’ve been doing lately to city counsel with this exact objective. Spread the word everyone. Let’s expose Nosler for who they really are. Share this. 3 Nosler Bobs, one mission, screw everyone else over to serve themselves. Let’s see where your road is Bob, Bob, and Bob! Every time I drive through that road I think about you:) Add as many speed bumps as you want. Never worked the lube rack. You sound uneducated by the way. Have a fantastic day and remember, in the same land as capitalism is freedom of speech to put the truth in print.
By all means “Nosler Makes Play For Road To Expand Facility”, if it is freedom of speech to post the truth, then by all means we all await your glorious beginnings of doing so.
The road of which you speak has been a closed thoroughfare for close to twenty years at the behest of the defunct mill at the other end of the block. Nosler activities and personnel are the only thing that ever happens there anymore. Not sure why you are so worried about this.
Yes, as with all companies, Nosler has two goals. Meet the demands of the consumer, and do so profitably. That’s it. Without those goals there is no point in starting a business, there is no business. Its very sad how the occupy types have moved the debate so far from the basic fundamentals of economics into lame, emotional, class warfare dogma.
Through your response, you confirmed my earlier hypothesis that you are a disgruntled ex-employee of Nosler. Equally clear to me is that you spent very little time there since you are unfamiliar with the entry level job and erroneously cite three Bob Noslers. There are only two Robert Noslers. Perhaps I AM wrong and you never actually worked there at all.
And I will reiterate that capitalism works. Nosler continues to make industry leading products in spite of employees such as yourself. Its the technology and the system through which raw materials are turned into high value items that make the difference, not one high school graduate with an axe to grind.
Throughout the years Nosler has been a very good neighbor. Support for schools, local events and their multi-million dollar, fresh money payroll are invaluable to the community and the local economy. They have responded voluntarily and effectively to noise complaints.
As for personal attacks, I’ll let you have it. It appears that’s all you have.
I’m late to this conversation, but am wondering whether there are other locations with the potential for indoor-outdoor music past 9:00 or 10:00pm. Recently I heard (a rumor?) that the Pilot Butte Regal theater may be closing its doors. Firstly, is that true? Secondly, if true, could that site be reworked for indoor venues (note: plural) and an outdoor stage? It’s way out on the eastside… well, just one crosswalk from The Growlers Guys on 27th. Plenty o’parking! A dog park not all that far away (Big Sky). The other potential spot that came up in conversation was the now vacated Forest Service building(s?) in the light industrial part of the westside, off Columbia, I think. Anything worth mining at either of those spots?
Wow. Public spokesperson for Nosler: Jon Jiggles trying to spread frosting on manure. I did some checking, you are not really telling the truth… that is not a closed road and actually because my wife ships things all the time for our home business at the postal place over there she drives that road all the time passing other cars using that road all the time, I know, I’ve been with her and it is a road, it is not Nosler only activity on that road. In fact I hardly ever see any Nosler activity on that road. Oh, and it’s not your road. It’s a road. A road you are trying to get I have a feeling. Didn’t really realize till your statements below that it really is all about the road. I hope you never get to build or expand and that Karma delivers that scenario to you for your practices in bullying other businesses. Yes, now you get the picture. We are one of your neighbors as well. In fact, not only do I live a couple streets away from Nosler, but as do my parents. Nosler has shown that it will bully businesses for it’s own personal agenda and not care about what is good for the residents around them, the community, etc. I heard the only reason Nosler has ever donated anything to charity is for a tax write off and for political connections in trying to control the city council and have his way with them. The truth is out there Jon. You’re PR campaign to try and paint Nosler away from the greedy monster that they are is really an ill attempt. In fact, it’s quite weak. I will make sure to help spread the truth for you. Maybe if Nosler can show us a change in their behavior over time, maybe we can forgive them and welcome them back in the community… if not, the truth will do it’s work, and karma is a bitch. Hey Nosler, why don’t you put some more speed bumps in you redneck rapist of culture and community. We are watching… know that your bully moves will be celebrated publicly. I’ll let you find them, but I’ve been sharing the truth on many networks for you:) I wanted to wait to answer so you would have to come back and check this repeatedly wondering if your words did anything or if we answered. Now that I’ve let you come back and check, I wanted to have mercy and give you the response you are reading. In addition, good luck in trying to wipe the brown off your nose after sleeping with Nosler, obviously it’s your turn to dress like a geisha for Nosler. Enjoy…
You are right. Nosler is just after the road. I guess I just love commenting on the source because it makes me feel important. Nosler actually is quite a greed monster. Let’s hope the change as you suggested. Good debate, but I’ll have to roll over and be honest about what the truth is. I need to rethink why I spend so much time commenting on everything inside the source website. Maybe it’s the fact that I have a low self confidence. Not sure. Anyway, thanks again.
How did I miss this? It seems that Mr. “disgruntled ex-Nosler employee who’s too much of a coward to sign his own name to his postings” had his positions so thoroughly discredited that he felt it necessary to engage in an ad hominem attack by impersonating ME and signing MY name to his sorry reply. Sorry pal, even those who dislike what I write here can easily distinguish my writings from your inarticulate babblings.