Skip to comments.
Tourism official says part of St. Louis only for buying crack
Belleville NewsDemocrat / AP ^
| November 17, 2006
Posted on 11/18/2006 1:03:35 PM PST by Stoat
Tourism official says part of St. Louis only for buying crack
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS - A tourism official trying to portray St. Louis as a safe place to visit ended up referring to part of the city as a place that would only be visited to purchase crack cocaine.
A research company, Morgan Quitno Press, called St. Louis the most dangerous city in the United States in October.
The public relations director for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, Mary Hendron, was trying to combat the perception of St. Louis as unsafe to Venues Today, a national trade publication which covers sports and entertainment facilities.
She was explaining that crime figures were skewed by high crime in neighborhoods that aren't tourist destinations.
"It's a bad part of town, but every city has a bad part of town," Hendron told Venues Today. "Frankly, the only reason anyone would go there would be to purchase crack cocaine."
Hendron said she wasn't referring to any particular neighborhood and she intended the remark to be off-the-record. The reporter for Venues Today, Dave Brooks, said he stands by his story and said Hendron never told him anything was off-the-record.
St. Louis officials argue that more than 1 million people live in suburbs outside the city and including them in studies would greatly dilute the overall crime rate. They argue that new lofts, restaurants and offices downtown show the city is safer than the study concluded.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: crack; crime; maryhendron; stlouis; tourism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-58 next last
1
posted on
11/18/2006 1:03:37 PM PST
by
Stoat
To: Stoat
As Mary Hendron undoubtedly has realized to her dismay, it's becoming impossible to tell the truth in this country.
To: Stoat
When I was in a teen in the '70's growing in up in Indiana, there were places in Chicago that had the same reputation, (heroin) and were warned by our local Indiana tourism groups to avoid when visiting the "Windy City".
To: Stoat
Gotta target that all-important crackhead tourist market, you know.
To: JennysCool
As Mary Hendron undoubtedly has realized to her dismay, it's becoming impossible to tell the truth in this country.Usually, the penalty for speaking unpleasant truths is losing one's job, at the very least.
5
posted on
11/18/2006 1:09:28 PM PST
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
Ah, yes...the historic Crack District.
6
posted on
11/18/2006 1:09:57 PM PST
by
SIDENET
(Everybody was kung-fu fighting)
To: Stoat
7
posted on
11/18/2006 1:10:27 PM PST
by
IllumiNaughtyByNature
(If a pug barks and no one is around to hear it... they hold a grudge for a long time!)
To: SIDENET
Ah, yes...the historic Crack District.
LOL!
8
posted on
11/18/2006 1:12:18 PM PST
by
durasell
(!)
To: Slings and Arrows
Gotta target that all-important crackhead tourist market, you know.They are legendary for infusing cash into legitimate businesses....butane torch dealers, drug rehab centers, mortuaries.....
9
posted on
11/18/2006 1:14:16 PM PST
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Slings and Arrows
Whitney Houston will be saddened...
10
posted on
11/18/2006 1:14:47 PM PST
by
IllumiNaughtyByNature
(If a pug barks and no one is around to hear it... they hold a grudge for a long time!)
To: Stoat
Well, sign me up for the Crack Package!!
11
posted on
11/18/2006 1:15:13 PM PST
by
LongElegantLegs
(...a urethral syringe used to treat syphilis with mercury.)
To: Stoat
Must be the neighborhood where the locals spray-painted "Honky Lips" on the Griswold Family Truckster.
12
posted on
11/18/2006 1:15:43 PM PST
by
fieldmarshaldj
(Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
To: Stoat
Obviously....yet ANOTHER Democrat stronghold.
To: bigfootbob
When I was in a teen in the '70's growing in up in Indiana, there were places in Chicago that had the same reputation, (heroin) and were warned by our local Indiana tourism groups to avoid when visiting the "Windy City".
This was before the age of the mandatory 'sensitivity training' gulags for public officials.
14
posted on
11/18/2006 1:16:33 PM PST
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
Trickle-down economics lives!
To: Stoat
"Frankly, the only reason anyone would go there would be to purchase crack cocaine."
Or to vote Democrat!
16
posted on
11/18/2006 1:19:02 PM PST
by
Terpin
(Missing: One very clever and insightful tagline. Reward for safe return!)
To: Stoat
Don't forget the huge industry of glass tube, with a miniature rose within, sales, and copper brillo pads.
To: SIDENET
Ah, yes...the historic Crack District.Famous to generations of short-lived thugs and law enforcement officers.
18
posted on
11/18/2006 1:19:51 PM PST
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: SIDENET
Ah, yes...the historic Crack District.Not near the hospitality and charm of the streetwalker and prostitution district.
19
posted on
11/18/2006 1:20:26 PM PST
by
ARealMothersSonForever
(We shall never forget the atrocities of September 11, 2001.)
To: K4Harty
Whitney Houston will be saddened stoned.
Typo fixed.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-58 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson