I have been against this project myself for several reasons and the most significant, in the long run, was the use of raw political and media power to drive two good public servants from office who dared to even question this project. This was, and still is, the most dangerous corruption of our democratic process that I have ever witnessed on a local level.
This is a wound to the community that needs to be healed before we can move forward and make the best of a bad deal. The principals of PSP seem to want to tough it out and bury it with time and neglect. It will not go away on its own.
Ditto the demonizing of other hoteliers who are simply looking for fair competition and not to be forced to collect the cash to sink their own ships.
These dual wounds could be healed tomorrow given the political will. If this were to happen, we could restore the integrity of this community and work together to make this convention center work for the good of the entire hospitality industry of Lancaster County.
How can a wound be healed when we’re stuck paying massive amounts of tax dollars for at least the next 35 years to support a project that was literally forced upon us? Numerous laws were badly bent (if not broken) during the process, and the “agreements” which unilaterally give so much taxpayer money and benefits to the “private partners” steal hundreds of thousands of dollars (perhaps a few million) from all of us every year.
The ONLY thing that could even begin to heal the wounds would be to tear up the original agreements, and replace them with contracts that are fair and equitable to all. But the behavior of the “private partners” as this project was developed proves that all they are interested in is their own corporate profits, not what is fair or equitable for taxpayers.
The first letter response (above) states things very well. Will our local officials (County and City) push for fairness? Will our local officials hold accountable those that were proponents of this venture? Will our local officials ‘do the right thing’? Will our local officials see to it that their constituents who voted them into office are truthfully informed? Will our local officials do anything????????
Enter the casino…… the healer of all wounds………..
As for our local officials, they will do what they have always done , and that is make sure the Penn Square Partners are allowed to divest themselves of this project fairly and equitably under PSPs terms.