Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, sang, Sometimes You're the Windshield. Sometimes you're the Bug.
well it's a strange old game - you learn it slow
one step forward and it's back to go
you're standing on the throttle
you're standing on the breaks
in the groove 'til you make a mistake
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
you gotta know happy - you gotta know glad
because you're gonna know lonely
and you're gonna know bad
when you're rippin' and a ridin'
and you're coming on strong
you start slippin' and slidin'
and it all goes wrong because
sometimes you're the windshield
[...]
Leading image, from here, where I picked the most appealing photo.
And that leads to today' topic - surprisingly, Ramsey Town Center - and Splat.
How could it be anything else with that lead-in - we learn once again, of the sale that wasn't held once again. It looks like Yogy Berra, "It ain't over ..." redux.
Pioneer Press Online reports:
Ramsey Town Center auction delayed; city and banks in talks
BY NICOLE GARRISON-SPRENGER AND DAVE ORRICK
Pioneer Press
TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Article Launched:07/26/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT
The fate of the troubled Ramsey Town Center project off U.S. 10 in Anoka County will hang in limbo for at least one more month.
Minnwest Corp., the bank that holds the mortgage on the property, has called off tomorrow's scheduled sheriff's foreclosure sale. The auction of 150 acres of land in the 322-acre development has been rescheduled for Aug. 31 at 10 a.m.
Originally slated for July 9, the sheriff's sale was postponed until Friday after the city of Ramsey filed a legal action against Minnwest. The city is trying to ensure Minnwest will preserve the original plans for the Ramsey Town Center development after the project is sold. Minnwest has argued those plans are not feasible.
"We are still in discussions with the city," said Russ Bushman, chief credit officer for Minnwest.
Ramsey Community Development Director Patrick Trudgeon said the cancellation of the auction shouldn't be a surprise, since the city and Minnwest are still in talks.
However, the city's official position still is that the original plan for the land should hold, he said. And that an obstacle for Minnwest. Trudgeon declined to specify what the city and Minnwest are actually talking about.
Well, Pioneer Press Online says pick up the print version "for a complete report."
It sounds like bait-and-switch to me. I doubt the "print version" will have who is saying what to the other side in the closed-door sessions, across the negotiating table - which IS the complete story.
My bet - with Ramsey still to hire its new City Administrator and acclimate him to the Culture of the City; things are at a preliminary stage. Will the discussion be about windshield-bug; or Loulsville Slugger - ball? Or possibly productive even, getting beyond that stage [the bug did not survive bankruptcy court] and aim for a work-out of differences. I cannot see any progress happening near-term, however, without a White Knight identified to step into the lead development position.
If there are liens that a foreclosure sale will affect; there are redemption positions. Why not an effort to get them to the table too? Otherwise, bank and city poobahs say, "Yes, yes and yes," and then a redemptioner exercise rights and says, "No," and it is back to square one. Or, "one step forward and it's back to go." As the song says.