YRK Magazine - House of Cards? Not Even Close, interview with Chad Taylor Options

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House Of Cards? Not Even Close.

In an exclusive interview Chad Taylor, guitarist of LIVE, tells the real story behind the politics, the music and his plans for York, PA

(York, PA) July 31, 2014 Downtown York, PA has been a city riddled with strife for as long as most can remember. So when three members of a locally grown, internationally renowned, multi-platinum rock band decided to bring what could quite possibly be one of the biggest game changers to the city of York and the state of Pennsylvania, one would think their efforts would be welcomed with open arms.

Recently, it seems like just the opposite is true; Think Loud Development, its owners, and affiliated companies have been the focus of seemingly endless local media attention. In light of the many versions of similar stories, assumptions and rumors that are running rampant through the community, YRK editor-in-chief, Selena Sparks, sat down with Chad Taylor to get the real story.

YRK: With the recent award of the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (“RACP”) grant, many people want to know what your plans are for downtown York?

Chad Taylor: I’ve been pretty open about our intentions to build companies that can create and sustain our local economy.

YRK: Since the state awarded Think Loud Development the RACP grant, the local press has been abuzz with how the company was able to win the attention of state government. How did this happen?

Chad Taylor: First, lets clear something up. Think Loud hasn’t received a single dollar from the state government as of yet. There are protocols in place to ensure that we reach a match, prior to the release of dollars. And yes, $5mm is a lot of money but verses the projected state tax revenues of $2b, it seems like a pretty good return on investment. We’ll secure the state’s required match and the funds will be released in due process.

YRK: This appears to be a highly political process. Have you had to get involved with political campaigns?

Chad Taylor: Yes, we’ve donated to campaigns for Democrats Bracey and Schreiber, and also Republicans Saylor, Perry & Corbett. Frankly, we’re supporting the politicians who we feel have shown the most support for the city.

YRK: Why haven’t you donated to Tom Wolf’s campaign?

Chad Taylor: I consider Mr. Wolf and his family to be friends. In fact, Mr. Wolf asked me to consider donating to his campaign but all of my resources have recently been dedicated to building our company. If anything, the fact that both Governor Corbett and Tom Wolf see the value of our project, speaks for itself.

YRK: Regardless, it has been implied that Think Loud received the RACP grant because of political fundraisers you held for the Governor and other members of the state legislature. Is this true?

Chad Taylor: No, this is not truthful. The state legislature authored the RACP last year, well before we hosted any political event. I think we deserve credit for showcasing our project and winning the approval of both political parties. I’d like to believe that our financial commitment to York is what gained us their support.

YRK: You also purchased state representative Schreiber’s former home?

Chad Taylor: Yes, one of our companies purchased Kevin Schreiber’s old house. It was listed on the market and we needed additional corporate housing. We continue to employee more and more people, and needed a place for them to stay other than a hotel. It’s a perfect fit for temporary housing. We paid fair market value, and public record was made. This is an extremely transparent transaction and no public funds were used for the purchase.

YRK: How did you learn about the house being listed for sale?

Chad Taylor: I’m friends with Kevin’s wife on Facebook and she mentioned the house being for sale. I told the guys that it would work really well for us and we made an offer.

YRK: So this isn’t a political contribution or an attempt to win influence?

Chad Taylor: We’re in a rock band for God’s sake. We fortunately don’t have to buy political favor and Kevin Schreiber is the most stand-up guy you’ll ever meet. This isn’t House of Cards. We simply purchased a cool house in downtown.

YRK: Have you purchased any other real estate in the city?

Chad Taylor: Yes, we’ve been busy purchasing key properties located around our project at 210 York Street. It’s more than fifty at this point.

YRK: And how are the sellers reacting?

Chad Taylor: We’ve met numerous neighbors at settlement that are grateful for our assistance in helping them find a way out of an impoverished neighborhood.

YRK: These homes are in poor repair, it seems like a risk to purchase them. What are your plans for the neighborhood?

Chad Taylor: Let’s talk straight, we didn’t create the dynamics of the neighborhood but we are helping the members of the community by lowering crime, and yes, raising the value of the properties. It might be a tough blow to some that their home values are low but our neighbors at 210 have been faced with a dreadful national economy and little choices for jobs. Hence why were trying to create jobs in the city. We need something to change.

YRK: And how will you effect change?

Chad Taylor: This was the question I asked myself over and over again as I contemplated building our enterprise in York City. My partners and I knew we wanted to develop real estate but another industrial park, office complex or shipping hub wouldn't put York on the map. Through a bit of universal luck, we learned about the need for a diverse fiber optic pathway to connect New York and Washington DC. When we looked at the proposed pathway, we were excited to learn that it passed directly through the city.

YRK: And how would this fiber pathway impact York?

Chad Taylor: One of the primary reasons why San Francisco has so many tech start-ups was the over abundance of data storage and transmission infrastructure created prior to the dot-com bust. Suddenly, a light bulb went off. If we were able to build a diverse fiber pathway, why couldn't we also build redundant storage – a data park?

YRK: You could have built this company anywhere along the pathway, why did you choose York?

Chad Taylor: York has so many incredible resources. It's got super-smart, industrial people capable of building complex machinery; a superior college; an abundance of excellent vocational schools; power and water infrastructure; plenty of raw buildings and office space; and a prime geographic location.

YRK: So you see York as a technology incubator?

Chad Taylor: The answer for an economic revolution was right in front of us. York could become a technological epicenter if it simply had the infrastructure to support the next Apple, Google or Facebook. We purchased 210 York and began to envision the building as our headquarters to a new movement towards technology and economic development. What became clear was that while we were ready to jump into these new waters, our neighbors and many members of our community would have to get on board.

YRK: What’s the reaction of the local community when you try and explain the importance of telecommunications infrastructure?

Chad Taylor: A wonderful local banker told me, as though he was somewhat reluctant to spoil my dreams, that "York already had the Internet.” I had to explain that while York, and actually the state of Pennsylvania, did have the Internet, it was wired through a series of garden hoses. What I am talking about is akin to the Colorado River of information. A super highway of data that can deliver 100-Gigabits per second.

YRK: You’re clearly passionate about downtown York. Why?

Chad Taylor: You could say Bearcat pride. We could’ve easily built our company in Lancaster, or even the County of York, but Chad, Patrick and I envisioned a company that would generate revenues to support the city of York. We knew that by creating jobs within our cities borders that we'd see the proven impact on crime and education that only a strong economy can deliver.

YRK: And what is the status of your progress?

Chad Taylor: We've invested millions of dollars to build the company thus far, having just completed construction of our 13.8-mile loop in New York City. We're just about to begin construction of our 400-mile long pathway that passes right through York.

YRK: And how will York benefit from the fiber line?

Chad Taylor: Rather than speed by our city like a Midwestern locomotive, we're prepared to build a major stopping point right in our city. We've purchased over 50 city properties and secured funding to build a state-of-the-art data center in downtown.

YRK: This is pretty impressive news. How aware of these plans are city and state officials?

Chad Taylor: The mayor and city counsel should be praised for encouraging us. Tom Wolf and our Governor have both pledged their support in addition to a wide array of legislators. How many times does that really happen in today’s political landscape? While energy may be one of Pennsylvania's greatest assets, we need proper infrastructure to house the forward thinking companies of the world and Think Loud is working hard to provide that.

YRK: So your plan is to build a data center that will connect to the project at 210 York?

Chad Taylor: Yes, we're buying homes and beginning to transform our neighborhood. We hope it's for the ultimate good of our populous. Our company is capable of doing business with some of the world's largest companies. It has the earning potential to prop up our city schools and enhance our civic culture, and that’s why we’re fighting so hard to build it here.

YRK: There have to be concerned members of the local community?

Chad Taylor: Our goal remains to do no harm and to help the community that gave birth to our dreams. I'd like the citizens of our city to support our project and see that it remains a struggle to build and develop these types of opportunities without their support and endorsement.

YRK: Your recent opinion column in the local paper was trending in the Top-10 on Twitter nationally. How has it been received?

Chad Taylor: I’ve received thousands of messages supporting our efforts and remain more than ever, soulfully committed to our community.

YRK: How much do you know about operating a fiber optic network and data centers? This seems like a fairly complex business.

Chad Taylor: We have a veteran executive team in place to handle daily operations. For example, our CEO was the former President of Vonage. Our entire team lives, eats and breathes data. I’m simply the chairman of the board, so my responsibility is to help govern the company.

YRK: Bill Hynes, your partner in Think Loud Development, was convicted of a crime and even served time in jail. Were you aware of his past?

Chad Taylor: Yes, Bill has always been very forthright. If you know Bill, he doesn’t really hold too much back. What you see is what you get.

YRK: So he disclosed his crime to you?

Chad Taylor: Yes, I was fully aware of the bank issue. I guess being a graduate of York High teaches you that people of all walks of life can make the best of a bad situation. I’ve had the chance to break bread with some of Bill’s military buddies and each one of these guys would take a bullet for him. I figure if anyone should receive the benefit of the doubt, it’s those who were brave enough to fight for our country.

YRK: To you this is a non-issue?

Chad Taylor: I am always concerned about the health and well being of our company and we have very strict financial governance in place. While we are an emerging company, we have a fiduciary obligation to our partners and investors to maintain balanced control. The circumstances surrounding Bill’s conviction are not applicable to our corporate governance and operations. The taxpayers of the state of Pennsylvania are embracing and supporting an entire company, not just one member.

YRK: How does the company run and how often are you in York?

Chad Taylor: I leave my house every morning at 6:30AM to drive my children to school and come to work at 210 York. I’m dependent on the various executives to run their specific divisions but I’m not scared to get involved. It’s so inspiring to walk into this incredible facility and see our staff busy building our company and impacting our community. I work closely with all members of our team. We’re in this together.

YRK: And what about LIVE? Do you have time to make music?

Chad Taylor: My relationship with music has changed throughout the years. Next year will be LIVE’s 30th anniversary, so I’m looking forward to releasing new music and playing shows to support the album. Obviously, music remains my primary passion.

YRK: What does the band sound like without Ed?

Chad Taylor: I think we’re creating dynamic music that people will recognize as LIVE. Chris Shinn is a talented guy that can hold his own with the best in world. Our fans have really embraced Chris and I’m super proud of the guy for being brave enough to well, be brave.

YRK: Do you keep in touch with Ed?

Chad Taylor: No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want the best for him. I’m trying to stay loyal to the new line-up and focus on the album release.

YRK: You had an ugly lawsuit over the LIVE trademark, is that settled?

Chad Taylor: I never imagined any of us being involved in litigation. To me the entire situation could have been avoided if we would have only been able to communicate with each other.

YRK: You weren’t talking?

Chad Taylor: Some of this I don’t want to communicate in an interview or can’t due to the settlement. It turns out that in the U.S., you have to police and protect your own trademark and that’s exactly what we did. We couldn’t have Ed using the mark when he was, in fact, not a member of the band. It’s still a tough topic but I suppose this is what the court system is for.

YRK: So the lawsuit is settled?

Chad Taylor: Yeah, but our fans don’t want to hear about this. It’s old news and for lawyers to sort through. I’m focused on the new album.

YRK: And when will the new LIVE album be released?

Chad Taylor: It will come out this fall. It’s the first album that we’ve written, recorded and mixed, all in York. I’m pretty proud because it brings us full circle and back to our natural roots.

YRK: Did you utilize the new studio?

Chad Taylor: For sure. The crew at Kinsley worked extra long hours to make sure we could track most of the album there. The building still isn’t complete but the studio sounded incredible. They did an outstanding job.

YRK: Will there be any local shows to support the release?

Chad Taylor: It would be impossible for us to ignore York. Eric Menzer from the York Revolution and I have been talking about doing something for a long time. It would be really cool to utilize that incredible ballpark. I can recall a time when it was the ballpark drawing the controversial headlines.

YRK: So, you like the ballpark. Do you attend the games?

Chad Taylor: Yeah, we’re season ticket holders. I love summertime baseball. We’re so lucky to have the Revolution in our town. The community really benefitted from that investment. I love when the cannon announces a homerun. We can hear it in our building.

YRK: Does LIVE still play “Shit Towne” in concert?

Chad Taylor: For sure, it’s a classic from Throwing Copper, only now we dedicate it to those who are focused on the negatives of our hometown, rather than the positive. LIVE fans from all over the world know about York because it was such an integral part of our journey.

YRK: So you’re still a rebel?

Chad Taylor: I’ll always dream the same. The lessons we’ve learned from LIVE are the same lessons we’re applying to creating jobs in our community, or creating new music. I’ll always stand up for the small voices in the room. I have a big guitar rig to amplify those dreams. Not much has changed, other than a few album sales.

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