In 2001 Nevin Cooley stood in front of the school board and convinced them to back High’s demand for ‘common management’. Cooley said that the project would be giving the School District $400,000 every year! The school board officially was boycotting the hoteliers who were suing to stop the project.
By the time 2005 came around, Dale High himself was begging the school board to negate ALL taxes for the next 20 years. High then ‘blackmailed’ the community and said the project was off if they didn’t give into his demands!
Fast forward to 2009 and the school board wants to use the convention center which together with the hotel provides ZERO revenue! Why is the convention center not at least discounting the fee?!
PSP only looks out for itself….there is seldom any ‘community service/consideration’ involved. They are a disgrace to what was once a vibrant downtown. Their attempts to return to the good ole days with a different cultural and ethnic make-up of downtown will never happen.
Giving [use of the Convention Center to] McCaskey would be a violation of the very principles of financing used for the convention center. McCaskey should be paying a premium in order to be consistent.