Never Say Never
You've got to draw the line somewhere. The Orpheum Theatre Marquee,
which serves as the program for the theatre's performances, tells us exactly
where the folks behind Stomp draw it. "STOMP has also been featured
in a number of commercials, including Coca-Cola, Ice Pick, and numerous
spots for Target stores in the U.S. and Toyota in Japan," reads the
bio in the program. However, it continues, "STOMP does not make commercials
for potato chips or ridiculously named audiovisual stores."
Malibu Stevie
"Wouldn't it be a great idea to advertise your Chevy Malibu being driven
in front of Graceland, `the Cradle of Rock & Roll' and down Beale Street,
`the Home of the Blues.' By the way, Gibson guitar (the centerpiece of the
ad) has just announced plans to open a factory and museum in Memphis behind
Beale Street. The ad speaks Memphis and Memphis can speak Malibu . . ."
-- from a letter from state senator Steve "Just Spell My Name Right"
Cohen to Jack Smith Jr., president of General Motors, in which Cohen makes
the case for setting GM's ads for the Chevy Malibu here in Memphis.
Stogy Vogue
Until recently the purview of bookies and your grandpa, cigars have emerged
as the allegedly iconoclastic, pseudo-sophisticated plumage of epicurean
wannabes everywhere. That the smoky trend has reached maturity in the Mid-South
is signaled by publishing impresario Rudi Schiffer's latest venture. Having
sold the gaming-oriented GoodTimes News to Savannah-based Morris
Publications, Schiffer plans to launch Cigars & More in July.
"Our research indicated strongly that the premium cigar market will
continue to swell as cigar makers, distributors, and retailers see no immediate
end to the tremendous demand," says Schiffer in a press release announcing
the new publication. "Growth in 1997 is expected to be an additional
50 percent over last year."
We'd like to say, "Don't hold your breath," but that sounds like
the smart thing to do.
The Numbers Racket
The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau sent
out a press release last week announcing that for the first time ever, Memphis
"topped $1 million worth of national and international print media
coverage during a single month." What does that mean? Well, by adding
up all the space devoted to tourism-related articles about Memphis around
the world, the MCVB calculates how much it would have cost to take out that
much space in ads. For April, that number was $1,016,744. For the fiscal
year that ends June 3oth, the current total is $4,889,483. Naturally, we
journalists aren't comfortable having our work mathematically converted
into advertising space, as if editorial consideration were a commodity that
could just be bought and sold like . . .
Uh-oh. Guess that makes it about $4,889,484 and counting.
Compiled by Jim Hanas
Ohio Professor's Contract with City Raises Questions
by Phil Campbell
n Ohio
criminology professor who introduced Memphis Mayor W.W. Herenton to a highly
lucrative relationship with a Canadian gambling firm is receiving more than
$123,000 from two separate contracts from the city
for a broad range of services.
According to city records, Robert L. Green's responsibilities since late 1995 have stretched far and wide, from developing approaches for controlling crime, to teaching elementary-school kids the meaning of respect, to working with the business community and local ministers in developing a summer-jobs program.
Green's connection to Herenton's casino deal, however, raises questions that the mayor had a conflict of interest when Green was awarded the consulting contracts.
In early 1995, Green introduced Herenton to Hans Banziger, president of Sungold Gaming Inc., now called Sungold Gaming International. Herenton agreed to join Sungold's five-member board of directors in mid-1995. In exchange for lending his name to the venture, Herenton was given stock options which have proven to be worth more than $700,000 nearly seven times his annual salary as mayor. The company hopes to develop casinos on an island off South Korea and on Indian-owned lands in southeast Michigan.
An option is the right, but not the obligation, to buy stock at a certain price within a limited time period. Options are valuable if the stock price goes up. If the stock price drops, the option expires unused. Anyone can acquire publicly traded options such as Sungold, but they have to pay for them. Corporate directors often receive options in lieu of, or in addition to, director fees as a perk for serving on a board.
In February 1997, public records show that Herenton "exercised" his option, buying 50,000 shares for $2.77, then selling 10,000 shares to cover expenses. The stock traded at between $16 and $18.50 a share during February.
That left Herenton with 40,000 shares worth $700,000 at the closing price on the last day the stock traded, February 26, 1997.
Green is an adjunct professor at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He has received two city contracts under his consulting firm's name, Educational Development and Management Company, which is based in Bratenahl, Ohio.
Green's first city contract, which he received in late 1995, totaled $74,330. The fees include printing costs, air travel expenses, and a $20,000 advance. Though he could have a number of assistants, Green would be paid $150 an hour for his personal efforts.
Here are some of the obligations Green has had under the contract:
" focus on the [Memphis] School System's ability to address the students' needs to be taught proper attitudes and values at each stage of their educational development. Specific values that must be addressed include, but are not limited to, respect for human life, property and the rights of others."
" approach the Memphis business Community, with the aid of area ministers and local Business leaders, to obtain the Business Community's commitment to temporarily hire and train young people during the summer months."
" approach various Social Service agencies to gain their support and expertise in assisting in the effort of crime reduction."
Though Green's contracted work would directly involve the Memphis Police Department and the Memphis City Schools, Green made the agreement with the city's Division of Housing and Community Development, which is responsible for distributing federal and city money for low- to moderate-income housing programs.
According to the contract, Green should have turned in a final progress report on August 31, 1996. The Flyer has requested this report, but was unable to obtain a copy before going to press this week. "I seem to recall everything's been done," Herenton's spokeswoman Carey Hoffman says.
Green's second city contract, which he received in July 1996, is worth up to $49,500. His eight responsibilities include: assisting the Memphis Police Department with refining anti-gang and substance-abuse activities; organizing a strategy meeting focusing on " `stay in school [programs]' and academic achieving activities"; and assessing the incidence of crimes against persons, including homicide, rape and robberies.
The second contract does not stipulate that Green provide the city with any progress reports.