It is wonderful to see that Western New York has been emerging from the ashes and that there is an unparalleled revitalization of the area.

Buffalo is seeing growth in ways of commercial development and people supposedly moving back.

To assist these so called Startup businesses developers and other groups are receiving money from taxpayers. As a result, there is also an expectation that these funds and projects will serve public interest and the betterment of the community.

This is why I find it more disturbing that Marc Croce, who has received $5.3 million from New York State and the City of Buffalo for the restoration of the Statler Towers, is allowing a convicted rapist who has been arrested a reported 38 times to host a event at his facility.

I am talking about former boxing heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson. The former boxer like many others before him, Joe Lewis, Sonny Liston, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali (then Casius Clay), have had their run-ins with the law.

Mike Tyson has had a reported 38 and since his champion days at least 7 more. His arrests and convictions have included drug possession, assault and battery and a rape conviction that sentenced him to serve six years in prison.

Now a convicted felon who has shown a blatant disregard for respect towards women, a civil society and the law expects Buffalo to stand up behind him, give him praise and their hard-earned money.

To make matters worse, this is being promoted by “Laced Up Promotions,” that is being run by another convicted felon, Amer Abdallah of Lockport, the former owner of Lockport Athletic & Fitness.

Just a few years ago, Amer was convicted of running an identity theft ring along with his brother and sentenced to nine years in a New York State Prison for which he served a third of his time. Now since his release, he has been tied to Joe Mesi in promoting a few events in Lockport. For this, Joe Mesi, who is apparently trying to hang on to some of the glory days, should be ashamed of himself.

Now this convicted identity thief Amer Abdallah who bilked the elderly and others out of hundreds of thousands of dollars expects people to stand in line with their children at the Statler on November 15th and provide them with credit card information so these two criminals can profit.

I would rather see Tyson peddle his merchandise elsewhere, not on the taxpayer’s backs and donate 100 percent to victim’s assistance programs for battered women and rape victims.

Cash Only Though!

Tori Poczkalski, Buffalo