Miller to airport group: Wake up, take Walton statue

Most who survey the statue dedicated to local icon Bill Walton see bliss and a bike, a local icon with arms stretched wide as if to embrace the San Diego he loves.

The 1,200-pound, bronze tribute immortalizes the man involved in 52 local charities and counting, a person who pours immeasurable time and money into helping thousands rather than resting on the comforts an incredible basketball career provided.

Organizers offered the $200,000 piece of art as a permanent gift to the San Diego International Airport, a pitch-perfect location to greet residents and visitors. The Airport Authority’s Art Advisory Committee – and try to wrap your mind around this one – said thanks, but no thanks.

The group is paying circus performers to greet visitors as part of an artists in residence program, but turned down a free gift wrapped with a priceless message.

A Sept. 14 letter from Thella Bowens, president and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, to lead donors Pat and Stephanie Kilkenny ticked off reasons – one more ridiculous than the next – for why the group walked away.

Why would you want something honoring one of the most giving, selfless San Diegans in history positioned so the more than 20 million annual passengers could see and celebrate it? Why would you want to showcase life-affirming lessons from a person who refused to wallow in the potential shallowness of a sports past, choosing instead to use the resources and platforms a game provided to tirelessly aid the city you serve?

When the statue was unveiled in May, Mayor Kevin Faulconer told me Walton transcended sports: “Bill is part of the fabric of San Diego. He’s a living legend here with all he’s done.”

If statue organizers seem flustered, can you blame them?

“It’s not about Bill Walton, the basketball player,” said Dan Shea, a local restaurateur who operates Donovan’s and a member of the group behind the statue. “It’s about Bill Walton, the charitable force in his community.”

The reasons listed in the letter:

The statue “lacks strong relevance to the Public Art Collection, which is focused on commissioning original artworks that are seamlessly integrated into the airport environment.” So you only consider something if you commission it? You might want to see someone about those control issues.

Accepting the gift “may be perceived as unfair to highlight one individual’s achievements over another.” There’s a word for that: socialism. And didn’t you name the place after some Lindbergh guy?

Pesky concerns persist about a “proposed lack of cost estimate for site preparation and maintenance.” The group’s proposal specifically explained that “the gift includes the cost of delivery, site preparation and installation.” You must have read over that.

I asked Shea what it cost to deliver the statue and install at Petco Park, its current high-profile location in the city.

“Three cases of beer and three dinners at Donovan’s for the guys who moved it,” he said.

Airport decision-makers might have a point about ongoing maintenance, though. Here’s a suggestion: Run a feather duster over Bill’s nose and the bike handlebars every couple of months.

The committee expressed hand-wringing about “the depiction of Mr. Walton (failing) to celebrate what is most emblematic of his past accomplishments.” Code for: He’s not dribbling a basketball. There’s nothing that could prove you miss the point more.

Being helpful, the committee recommended the statue might be best suited in a civic space accessible to broader audiences “than the traveling public.” Pass. The. Buck. And if it’s too difficult for many to use your civic service, you might want to look into that.

The statue already has been touring the city, starting at the Challenged Athletes Foundation (one of the half-a-hundred charities Walton and his wife Lori support, by the way) before moving to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s Competitor Group headquarters and Petco.

Shea said Valley View Casino Center will be the next stop, honoring the old Sports Arena’s 50^th anniversary. The statue is set to travel there Oct. 5 for a three-month stay that will include a visit by Walton’s son, new Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton, for a preseason game Oct. 19.

The committee did offer a three-month stay at the airport. Doesn’t that include the same delivery, installation and (short-term) maintenance questions you cited as non-starters in the same letter?

The circular, wandering logic in the letter frankly staggers reasoning.

I tried to talk to Bowens or anyone else willing to discuss the decision. I was steered to a person with “Sr. Public Relations Specialist” in her job title who asked me to submit questions in writing.

I explained that I needed to interview subjects directly to ensure responses came from them, rather than “group think” spit-shined and vetted by a committee.

The response: Walton is a respected civic leader, but “we’re going to (respectfully) decline your interview request. It’s our practice to provide written responses to media inquiries from our subject matter experts.” Well hello, bright red flag. Unwilling to be accountable for decisions much?

Get over yourself. Quit over-thinking this. Take the statue before the generous people behind it change their minds.

bryce.miller@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @Bryce_A_Miller