No i do not think Big George should be held personally responsible. He has done a great service for the city of Birmingham and for the people for twenty years. City stages will be truly misssed . He brought alot of great artist to Birmingham that would normally just go to Atlanta or New Orleans. If City Stages was run like the city of Birmingham i don't think it would have lasted for twenty years. You can't control the weather or the economy, that is always a big factor on the turnout of large crowds for any city festivals. All i know is that Big George worked very hard every year to put on City Stages. We all should be thankfull it lasted so long.
How could you hold the one person responsable when it takes many others to make it happen? I think george done a great job with what he was working with.. I personaly met some couples that would drive hundreds of miles to come to Birmingham for city stages so I think he was doing something right...
Keith Kennedy - 14 years ago
I don't know George McMillan anymore than I know what is in his heart or character, but I do know this, City Stages was the best thing Birmingham has done over the last two plus decades to negate past stereotypes and bring folks together. McMillan has been credited the founder of this event and I think should, with the City, find a way outside of a court room to recompense vendors and musicians that were left holding worthless checks. Birmingham and no doubt McMillan were more than happy to be associated with the event and any clout that may of been attached to that association for many years. Ending on a sour note (pun intended) only further blemishes the complexion of the City.
Holden Carter - 14 years ago
I think the Birmingham News has been take over by the Montgomery Advertiser. No.. I take that back... At least the rednecks in Montgomery are nice.
JT Fermottybot - 14 years ago
Hell no he should NOT be held responsible!!! George McMillan is soley responsible for turning what were once streets of hatred and violence into happiness and music filled sounds of joy. What was once firehoses turned on our citizens, became black and white children playing together in harmony in the Lynne Park fountains. City Stages was for so long something Birmingham could be proud of instead of the usual constant disreputable stigma it's lived in since the 1960"s. Where are all the people who benefited and took credit for this great annual event for over 20 years? George McMillan tried to keep a good thing going against the odds. The only thing he is guilty of is trying to keep alive a dream. I say screw'em George, forget about those ingrate bastards and go make some money for yourself for a change!!!!
c witt - 14 years ago
I have volumes of nice things to say. One of my best memories of my dad was taking him to see Jonny Cash At City Stages for Father's Day. Seeing him enjoy one of his favorites made my heart fill with joy that I was able to share that with him, if it wasn't for George& staff i never would have had the opportunity to have that special day with him.thanks for that one & 21 years of fun!!!
George McMillan is the best thing that ever happened to City Stages, and it's not his fault that the community failed to adequately support it. City Stages was our best civic asset, and we lost it because the community was willing to take all the good from it -- the racial and ethnic harmony, the uniting of young and old, rich and poor -- without giving back. George personally gave his all to this progressive, enlightened festival that gave Birmingham a positive image across the South and when the enterprise failed, it failed because none of us were willing to give to it like Mr. and Mrs. McMillan did. Check the bankruptcy filings and you'll see that they were loaning money to City Stages while the rest of us stood idly by. Making George the scapegoat in this is like blaming the police officers and firefighters who were first responders to the 9/11 attacks for what happened that sad day. For fighting to save City Stages, George and Ann McMillan are now on the receiving end of the sad old adage that "no good deed goes unpunished."
bobeau - 14 years ago
City Stages has been in debt for years and they continued to roll over their debt from year to year, like many if not most businesses. It's common to do business with debts greater than assets and if we required everybody to do business with cash on hand America's economy would be a fraction of its current size.
Anyone doing business knows they run the risk of default by their customers and the City Stages vendors knew far more about the fragile financial condition of the festival than they do of, say, our largest local bank, which has created vast financial ruination all over the country (and carries toxic loans larger than its assets), but that bank advertises liberally in the local media. Easy for the News to pick on George, hard to report on the real crooks.
Mimi - 14 years ago
NO! NO! NO! George was only trying to do something great for the city of Birmingham! He was dedicated to his cause and the outcome was unfortunate, but he should not be held personally responsible! Leave him alone!
james - 14 years ago
i cant believe all the people saying that George is honest... blah blah blah. He knew exactly what he was doing, exactly what was going on and he kept writing the checks. hell yes he should be responsible
Tabitha Johnson (Zivitz) - 14 years ago
George is one of the most caring, self sacrificing people you might ever get the privilege to meet. The fact that the acts have gone unpaid is a legal issue against the foundation not him. Its like holding Osama responsible for the stimulus package being a flop ( ask the Detroit steel workers without jobs still) Or just because Tony the Tiger is on the box suing him because he didn’t agree his flakes were GGGGGGRRRREEAT! George McMillan has put his self heart and soul into City Stages Year after Year. The residents of Birmingham and surrounding counties should thank him for his dedication and service. Thank you George, at this moment you are just the newest head on the chopping block, we who know you, know you have done nothing wrong.
Randy Partin - 14 years ago
I have known George McMillan for 45 years and one thing that you can count on is that he is honest and will tell it like it is. He struggled with City Stages in the last years at great personal sacrifice to himself and his family for the betterment of Birmingham. I hate (as I know George does) that these acts from City Stages lost money but I can say without reservation that George never intended for that to happen and he did not enrich himself by its' happening. Cash flow was short of expectations and it is what it is for such a fast moving an unpredictable venue. George (who fought the City Stages fight for many years) is not responsible for the shortfall in projections and the Foundation alone is responsible for any recourse that creditors might want to pursue.
camille witt - 14 years ago
No he should Not!!!!! people need to remember what he did for21 years for Birmingham, noone else has ROCKED those streets harder... & noone EVER will. Thank you George & all the staff for many hard hard years of hard hard work. You have touched tons of people& brought fun for many families(mine included) . I Have no idea what to do on father's day now,I guessI will wonder around downtown listening to my ipod... BORING!!
April Deal - 14 years ago
McMillan is honest as the day is long and has never coverted money to his own use. Because of him, this city had a wonderful event for more than twenty years and the way this newspaper has treated him is most unfair!
WB Deal - 14 years ago
Absolutely not!
judy sims - 14 years ago
Absolutely not. He is not personally responsible.
N. Miller - 14 years ago
of course not & this is a very stupid question... that's what laws are for. follow the law. why should it be any different for this situation.
T. Reznor - 14 years ago
No, he should not. He has no legal obligation.
Percephelese - 14 years ago
Not unless he signed a personal guarantee. The business should be held accountable and to the extent it has provided a guarantee (i.e. bond or letter of credit), but extending liability to the owner without such a commitment is not in line with the risk. Had he expected to be liable, he would have charged more for his services or not have participated. Plus, the acts and businesses took a business risk by entering into a contract with City Stages in the first place. Bone head move.
No i do not think Big George should be held personally responsible. He has done a great service for the city of Birmingham and for the people for twenty years. City stages will be truly misssed . He brought alot of great artist to Birmingham that would normally just go to Atlanta or New Orleans. If City Stages was run like the city of Birmingham i don't think it would have lasted for twenty years. You can't control the weather or the economy, that is always a big factor on the turnout of large crowds for any city festivals. All i know is that Big George worked very hard every year to put on City Stages. We all should be thankfull it lasted so long.
How could you hold the one person responsable when it takes many others to make it happen? I think george done a great job with what he was working with.. I personaly met some couples that would drive hundreds of miles to come to Birmingham for city stages so I think he was doing something right...
I don't know George McMillan anymore than I know what is in his heart or character, but I do know this, City Stages was the best thing Birmingham has done over the last two plus decades to negate past stereotypes and bring folks together. McMillan has been credited the founder of this event and I think should, with the City, find a way outside of a court room to recompense vendors and musicians that were left holding worthless checks. Birmingham and no doubt McMillan were more than happy to be associated with the event and any clout that may of been attached to that association for many years. Ending on a sour note (pun intended) only further blemishes the complexion of the City.
I think the Birmingham News has been take over by the Montgomery Advertiser. No.. I take that back... At least the rednecks in Montgomery are nice.
Hell no he should NOT be held responsible!!! George McMillan is soley responsible for turning what were once streets of hatred and violence into happiness and music filled sounds of joy. What was once firehoses turned on our citizens, became black and white children playing together in harmony in the Lynne Park fountains. City Stages was for so long something Birmingham could be proud of instead of the usual constant disreputable stigma it's lived in since the 1960"s. Where are all the people who benefited and took credit for this great annual event for over 20 years? George McMillan tried to keep a good thing going against the odds. The only thing he is guilty of is trying to keep alive a dream. I say screw'em George, forget about those ingrate bastards and go make some money for yourself for a change!!!!
I have volumes of nice things to say. One of my best memories of my dad was taking him to see Jonny Cash At City Stages for Father's Day. Seeing him enjoy one of his favorites made my heart fill with joy that I was able to share that with him, if it wasn't for George& staff i never would have had the opportunity to have that special day with him.thanks for that one & 21 years of fun!!!
George McMillan is the best thing that ever happened to City Stages, and it's not his fault that the community failed to adequately support it. City Stages was our best civic asset, and we lost it because the community was willing to take all the good from it -- the racial and ethnic harmony, the uniting of young and old, rich and poor -- without giving back. George personally gave his all to this progressive, enlightened festival that gave Birmingham a positive image across the South and when the enterprise failed, it failed because none of us were willing to give to it like Mr. and Mrs. McMillan did. Check the bankruptcy filings and you'll see that they were loaning money to City Stages while the rest of us stood idly by. Making George the scapegoat in this is like blaming the police officers and firefighters who were first responders to the 9/11 attacks for what happened that sad day. For fighting to save City Stages, George and Ann McMillan are now on the receiving end of the sad old adage that "no good deed goes unpunished."
City Stages has been in debt for years and they continued to roll over their debt from year to year, like many if not most businesses. It's common to do business with debts greater than assets and if we required everybody to do business with cash on hand America's economy would be a fraction of its current size.
Anyone doing business knows they run the risk of default by their customers and the City Stages vendors knew far more about the fragile financial condition of the festival than they do of, say, our largest local bank, which has created vast financial ruination all over the country (and carries toxic loans larger than its assets), but that bank advertises liberally in the local media. Easy for the News to pick on George, hard to report on the real crooks.
NO! NO! NO! George was only trying to do something great for the city of Birmingham! He was dedicated to his cause and the outcome was unfortunate, but he should not be held personally responsible! Leave him alone!
i cant believe all the people saying that George is honest... blah blah blah. He knew exactly what he was doing, exactly what was going on and he kept writing the checks. hell yes he should be responsible
George is one of the most caring, self sacrificing people you might ever get the privilege to meet. The fact that the acts have gone unpaid is a legal issue against the foundation not him. Its like holding Osama responsible for the stimulus package being a flop ( ask the Detroit steel workers without jobs still) Or just because Tony the Tiger is on the box suing him because he didn’t agree his flakes were GGGGGGRRRREEAT! George McMillan has put his self heart and soul into City Stages Year after Year. The residents of Birmingham and surrounding counties should thank him for his dedication and service. Thank you George, at this moment you are just the newest head on the chopping block, we who know you, know you have done nothing wrong.
I have known George McMillan for 45 years and one thing that you can count on is that he is honest and will tell it like it is. He struggled with City Stages in the last years at great personal sacrifice to himself and his family for the betterment of Birmingham. I hate (as I know George does) that these acts from City Stages lost money but I can say without reservation that George never intended for that to happen and he did not enrich himself by its' happening. Cash flow was short of expectations and it is what it is for such a fast moving an unpredictable venue. George (who fought the City Stages fight for many years) is not responsible for the shortfall in projections and the Foundation alone is responsible for any recourse that creditors might want to pursue.
No he should Not!!!!! people need to remember what he did for21 years for Birmingham, noone else has ROCKED those streets harder... & noone EVER will. Thank you George & all the staff for many hard hard years of hard hard work. You have touched tons of people& brought fun for many families(mine included) . I Have no idea what to do on father's day now,I guessI will wonder around downtown listening to my ipod... BORING!!
McMillan is honest as the day is long and has never coverted money to his own use. Because of him, this city had a wonderful event for more than twenty years and the way this newspaper has treated him is most unfair!
Absolutely not!
Absolutely not. He is not personally responsible.
of course not & this is a very stupid question... that's what laws are for. follow the law. why should it be any different for this situation.
No, he should not. He has no legal obligation.
Not unless he signed a personal guarantee. The business should be held accountable and to the extent it has provided a guarantee (i.e. bond or letter of credit), but extending liability to the owner without such a commitment is not in line with the risk. Had he expected to be liable, he would have charged more for his services or not have participated. Plus, the acts and businesses took a business risk by entering into a contract with City Stages in the first place. Bone head move.