A million here, a million there, and pretty soon we're talking about serious money

Lo and behond, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center continues to bleed red ink:

The authority, which owns local sports venues and parking garages, has failed to earn a profit at the Downtown convention center. Operating the building is projected to create a $3.8 million loss in 2008. Revenues are projected to reach $5.9 million, but expenses would be $9.8 million.

Of course, people like me have been criticizing the convention center almost from the moment it was built. The reality, though, is that we are stuck with it. So what's to be done? In my opinion, we need to spend just enough money to keep the building safe, functional and attractive -- but not a penny more. That means no publicly funded convention center hotel, an idea whose time will never come.