The story printed by LNP on Sat 1/31 regarding the proposed expansion of the downtown Marriott prompts the following comments and questions:
-The lack of quality (or any) hotel rooms in the very immediate vicinity of the proposed CC was one of the many reasons given by existing county hoteliers as to why we should not build the CC in the first place. This suggestion that more rooms “very close” are needed is another endorsement of the total lack of infrastructure needed to support such a project that should come before, rather than after, the fact.
-The amount of overflow rooms currently generated by the CC is a paltry amount accounting for the less than 2% of the marketplace. While more rooms “could” generate larger conventions, and more overflow during those conventions, the relatively small amount of larger conventions with a larger Marriott would actually decrease overall overflow as the smaller conventions, the majority of the CC’s business, will now be accommodated exclusively at the tax-payer funded, “private”, tax-exempt Marriott.
-As part of their defense, the LCCCA argued in court in 2001 that Lancaster County had one of the highest populations of convention quality hotel rooms WITHOUT having a convention center amongst similar sized communities through the Northeast. I guess the rationale being used to justify this expansion would question that argument to build it in the first place.
-PSP has a sweetheart deal with RACL, the official “owner” of the hotel. That deal provides PSP with the ability to buy the hotel, after 20 years, for as little as 30 cents on the dollar of its original construction price. Does the additional $23-25+ million investment (anyone think it will come in under budget?), primarily funded once again with public (CRIZ) monies, affect either the amount PSP would pay for the hotel or the time table for them to finalize such a purchase?
-No real estate or SCHOOL taxes and more CRIZ money…I hope PSP says a nice blessing each night for Senate Education Chairman Lloyd Smucker.
-Does Meeder (Hotel Lancaster) care or is he happy as long as he gets his free money?
-Lastly, a speculation. In most of the CC cases, the first call to action after disappointing results is to increase the size of the center. In our case, it appears that backers want more rooms first; however, I can assure you that the next rationale to draw bigger will be to add square footage to the CC. Many have wondered since the first schematics became public exactly how or where our little, land-locked CC might expand. It seems rather convenient to me that one of our “partners” just announced that they will no longer be utilizing a rather large space just across the street. Can anyone else envision a “fair” price for the old printing plant between LNP and the LCCCA along with an overhead pedestrian walkway across South Queen?
You are spot on.
Mr Krasne didn’t hire the previous LGH building engineer without a grand purpose in mind.
When does the other shoe drop when “casino” is mentioned?
Let the free money keep flowing.
Whatever happens; you can be sure that the power elite will make sure that PSP profits handsomely, and that the City / County taxpayers of this and several generations will suffer greatly.
How about if someone/anyone just says NO!!!!???
If PSP is so concerned about the viability of the Convention Center; instead of using more public dollars to create more available lodging, they should be using their (PSP) profits to reduce the Convention Center debt and bring that debt more in line with the current cash-flow to meet the current debt obligations.
If this unwarranted plan moves forward, the County Commissioners have the opportunity to revisit the current contractual agreement between PSP and the LCCCA to make the appropriate adjustments to bring it more in line with industry standards.
There is no justification for the existing hotel tax to continue….those outlying hotels/motels will be receiving no economic benefit from this venture…in fact they will be losing possible lodging reservations.