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5. OLD BUSINESS (Cont'd the Plaza into the "people place. ". The Commissioners also gave 14r. Wilcox their full support in developing projects and programs that would help stimulate downtown South Bend and the entire community. b Formulization of Grand Opening of River Bend Plaza, R -66: Mr. Lennon said this has been discussed in previous Commi sion meetings and the date was contingent on Hickey's const uction schedule as to whether we could get the major porti )n of the River Bend Plaza completed on May 31, or two o thee weeks hence. It is the opinion of both the engin ering consultants (Clyde E. Williams & Associates, Inc.) and our staff that most of the construction work will be completed from Jefferson Street south by May 31. We have advised the general contractor and the subcontrac- tors that this.date is firma The contract itself states that he Hickey Company has until June 25 to complete the project. Some minor work will need to be done after that date. We will be concentrating in month of June on the area in front of the Morris Civic Auditorium. This will not a fect our grand opening. The Hickey Company has been very cooperative. The purlins at this point are holding us up. We are again having con- struction meetings the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, and meeting with the subcontractors on a weekly basis. Mr. Wiggins stressed when we have our grand opening, that the first impressions are very vital and we need to have as mu :h of the work completed as possible. Mr. Lannon recommended we change the Grand Opening Date of Ma 31, and to set firm dates of June 21, 22 and 23, as th ee grand opening dates. This would be a Friday, Satur ay and Sunday extravaganza. This will allow us to have 0% or more of the entire Plaza work done. Groun breaking for the Civic Center is scheduled for July 4. Tie Ethnic Folk Festival and other festivities are also sched led for July 4. We want other events prior to the July Ith schedules to have people see what is going on in the downtown area. Mrs, Sandy Greenhut stated they had planned to have every- thing July 4th -- including the Grand Opening. To have something two weeks before and on July 4th, she wanted to know why we can't have everything on one day. She couldn't see people coming down on the 21st and again on the 4th of July. Mr. Wiggins stated we had agreed on City -wide participation on the 4th of July, but the Commission did say that we would be having separate functions. What you are going to have might be quite different; our three -day events may not be the same. - 7 - GRAND OPENING, RIVER BEND PLAZA, JUNE 21, 22 & 23, 1974