The summer season is almost upon us. We have over 600 signatures. Please continue sharing with friends, contacts,  on Facebook and in other forums. It is having an impact.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that activity began to look at reopening the Paramount a week after our petition was launched and it started attracting attention. What is not clear is that if the grant money is enough to actually reopen the theater or is it just being used to diagnose what will need to be done? You can see some work now underway. How would they know what needs to be done, how much it will cost, how long it will take,  until the structural assessment is completed? Still despicable that the owners, Madison Marquette, are not themselves investing in the improvements. This is all coming from government money. Taxpayer funds. And the expenditure of these funds has a deadline to be spent by the end of next year.  The funds were awarded a year ago and nothing happened with regard to convention Hall until just now. Let us hope the federal government does not claw back these funds. That also would not be surprising. And for a change how about some honest transparency here and keeping the public informed as to whatever progress is being made. I’m sure it will be another record-breaking year for beach fees, parking fees, and tax revenue from new waterfront development which you plainly see is going strong. Yet they inexplicably let these buildings crumble to the ground for many years. Why wouldn’t these historic and iconic buildings be part of the Asbury comeback? Where’s the planning and leadership?   From reading comments everywhere I look, I know people are infuriated and rightly so. Thank you for joining this effort to make a difference.