Letter: “Hotels that far out from the event? Really? As an attendee of many events, I’d rather stay home than have to stay miles and miles from where something is happening. Hotels that far from a large event in the center of the city really should not be counting on overflow.”
Editor’s response: You are absolutely correct and that is exactly what most of the county hoteliers argued when the room rental tax was proposed to defray the cost of the convention center bonds.
All of the hotels in the county were taxed to make the convention center possible, with the promise that they would benefit from events. The quilt show was the first opportunity to put that claim to a full test. Clearly the evidence gives the lie to the past assertion.
Unfortunately, the obvious was concealed by the project backers and ignored by the county court.
Adding to the irony, a similar show had in the past been held at the Host on Rt. 30 East. Not only did those Lincoln Highway East hotels have to pay for the convention center, but they lost vital business to the project!
