Here are some other fanciful quotes from “Lancaster County Convention Center woes to trick down.”

“Despite those efforts, center officials find they are dealing with higher-than-expected energy costs for the facility….”

The “higher energy costs” are in large part due to the foolish connection of the Marriott limited lobby area with multi-story break-out area for the Convention Center, thus requiring heating and air conditions to lobby temperature of an immense area during the majority of the time when it is not in use.   The basic design is simply nutty.   As for the rest, the arrangement with Penn Square Partners (of which LNP is a partner with High) concerning the Marriott Hotel tended to shift energy costs from the hotel public areas to the Center.  (Only one meter was installed despite separate ownership and shared space.)

“While the occupancy rate for Lancaster County hotel rooms was only 66.2 percent last month, Barrett cited a report showing that figure is higher than the rates for Branson, Mo., Williamsburg, Va., and Niagara Falls, N.Y.”

Note, they offer no industry statistics that would provide a valid measurement.  Instead they ‘cherry picked’ failing sites to make a comparison. Finding industry statistics is only a Google away!  Clearly accurate reporting  isn’t their intention.

“Yet the amount is far below projections. Late last year, industry experts told authority officials to expect an increase of 6.1 percent in tax revenue in 2011. Ten months into the year, the increase is tracking at .51 percent, Molloy said.”

The anticipated 5% increase in revenue actually went to pay the Room Sales Tax rather than to the hotels.    That is the reason why revenues did not increase the anticipated 5%.   The hoteliers and others tried to explain this but LNP and other proponents didn’t want to hear it.

Meanwhile lack of revenue is hamstringing the entire industry as it must put off renovations and upgrading for lack of profitability.   So what has been a very successful tourist industry is now in decline!