Wachovia sold the LCCCA’s construction bonds in late March of 2007, and administers their funds. As a part of the deal, the $64 million in bond proceeds was handed over to M&T Bank, which is responsible for investing the bond proceeds until the money is actually spent. The investment was put out to bid, in […]

Last night the attendance at the Convention Center Authority board meeting was scant. As I sat there and listened to ALL the change orders, the quote “It is what it is” kept running through my mind. Looking up at the board, I humbly respect all the time and effort put forth on behalf of our […]

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, which makes policy recommendations addressing the concerns of the nation’s cities, just unanimously adopted a resolution in support of comprehensive overdose prevention policies such as 911 Good Samaritan laws. Good Samaritan laws encourage people who witness an overdose to call 911 by providing limited immunity from drug possession charges. This […]

The Pa League of Cities is one of the groups touted from the beginning in the pitching of the project)… If, at 500 attendees, it is the largest group: that is truly disaster. The Convention Center can take 2,000 at a gathering. If all the other booked events are smaller, then there is still no […]

Rick Gray is very influential in the PA League of Cities. It was announced in the newspaper last year that Gray was working to get their convention in Lancaster for 2009. (Editor’s note: The date has indeed been booked.) LCCCA Executive director Kevin Molloy said he expects that it will be 10 to 15 years […]

The LCCCA construction bond revenue balance was reported tonight to be $25 million. I suspect this is because hard construction expenditures totaled nearly $6 million this month. The Moody’s rating of MBIA was reported to be A2. I had quoted from a Reuters news article. The interest rate being received from MBIA was reported to […]

When Wachovia Bank sold the $64 million in convention center construction bonds, the proceeds were transferred to M&T Bank for investment. Under the terms of the investment contract, the account holding these funds must have been put out for bid. One of the few methods allowable under the bond agreements is known as a “Guaranteed […]

John Fry will do whatever it takes to get what he wants and it doesn’t matter how it affects the surrounding neighborhood. And when it comes to issues of safety (personal or institutional), I think he is paranoid. His reaction to Ron Harper, Jr? Ron may not have acted in the most professional manner, but […]

So the point is: Senator Armstrong says “no” to schools and “yes” to the convention center. There is little difference between organized crime and government. (Though it took decades for governments to share control of the gambling industry.)

As I write this, the scaffolding which supported the facade of the Watt &Shand building is being disassembled. The first section being removed faces Penn Square, on the east side.

I appreciate the cultural opportunities that F&M provides to the entire community and I consider the College to be one of Lancaster’s greatest assets. However, I am not alone in considering that John Fry is a different type of president than what we were used to previously. A woman who has lived in the same […]

I attended the public meeting that F&M hosted Thursday evening and indeed, I have learned new things. One, F&M has consistently stressed from the beginning an environmental benefit of “diverting approximately 55,000 truck trips annually from Central Pennsylvania highways and roads”. A Norfolk Southern representative confirmed that those 55,000 truck trips DO NOT EXIST and […]

Since most trade and consumer shows now travel in 53-foot trucks, once each show experiences difficulty loading in and out,a second booking will be rare. If the venue gets a rep for a PIA (Editor’s presumption:Pain in the a–?) house, the consumer shows, which need vast local attendees to justify a booking, may not come […]

Just a brief comment about the LCCCA’s Public Relations, Marketing, and Hospitality Committee meeting which was held at 4:30 PM on Thursday, June 19, 2008 at the Southern Market: To date, there are 8 confirmed “consumer shows” scheduled for 2009 (out of an expected 7), for a total of 20 days; there are 2 confirmed […]