Watch Out! The Clowns Are Back!

The Bayside District Corporation, a semi-private company that sort
of manages downtown Santa Monica for the City of Santa Monica, spent $60,000 and two years crafting a new “identity” for itself.
Henceforth, downtown Santa Monica will be called Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
We have always called it downtown Santa Monica, because that’s what it is. In fact, we don’t know anyone who hasn’t called it downtown Santa Monica.
But, according to a story in the Santa Monica Daily Press, ‘“The new name better represents the goals and mission of the corporation,’ said Kathleen Rawson, chief executive officer of the district.”
Of course, it does, because that’s what it is, was and will be. Whoever named it “Bayside” should have been fired on the spot, There was no “Bayside” – ever except in the minds of people with more ego than sense.
But, according to the Daily Press story, “’It’s way more than an identity,’ Rawson said. ‘It’s how it’s perceived, and what its assets are.’
“The process created a focused plan to realign the area with its core goals — to preserve the feel of Santa Monica by ensuring that locals visit the area and create an authentic feel for visitors to enjoy.
“Santa Monica residents visit the downtown area once a week, Rawson said, but the business district wants to see those numbers increase by creating an environment that attracts those that pass by every day.
“The district aims to prevent Downtown from becoming stale by creating a tourist-driven image rather than Santa Monica’s true personality — a mix of high art, hard science and flip flops.”
Who is this woman and what is she talking about?
And just as these marketing geniuses have finally recognized that Downtown Santa Monica is, in fact, downtown Santa Monica, they are unmaking it by piling some major bad projects on.
Hold on to your hats. And flipflops. The clowns are back.