In reference to “CC series Chapter Three Revised: Helping hands in Harrisburg”:
They most certainly laid an egg, one that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will still be paying for decades from now.
Can you imagine how much real economic development would have happened in downtown Lancaster had that $15 million been spent on ANYTHING that had a positive return on investment for taxpayers?
How many future projects will never happen because taxpayers will still be paying off construction loans and operational subsidies for this project decades from now?
EDITOR: The $15 million is just a fraction of the misdirected tax money.
Add the proceeds of the Room Rental Tax, ongoing state subsidies from sales tax collections, exemption from real estate taxes, complimentary services by the City of Lancaster, and the likely $2 million a year loss on convention center operations when repairs and renovations come due in a few years, and the annual cost must approximately another $6 or $7 million a year.
Moreover, had the smaller conference center been placed in Lancaster Square East as originally proposed, there would not be a need today to raze the Brunswick, the Brunswick Annex and perhaps the Bulova Building.
All the more reason to hold Penn Square Partners and proponents of this financial albatross to be the ONLY parties responsible for it’s financial success or failure. City/county taxpayers and the hotel industry were NOT responsible for erecting this,and should NOT be financially responsible for it’s continuation!!!!