I suspect that Lancaster Newspapers’ involvement in the hotel and convention center project might have started out with good intentions. After all, LNP has made significant investments in downtown Lancaster in the past. But once they were legally bound to High, they found themselves being dragged along with S. Dale High’s personal ambitions.
When opposition to the project started to build, I believe LNP reflexively went on the defensive. And the best defense is a good offense.
Question: is it possible that LNP saw the hotel as a way to generate revenue in the face of the inevitable decline of the newspaper business?
Editor’s response: The investigation continues and it is premature to reach any conclusion, especially as to early intentions by each of the sponsors. However, we perceive Jack Buckwalter, CEO of LNP as a dupe in the early stages. He told us years ago that he had been concentrated onSteinman non-newspaper business investments out of state and “this was Dale’s project”
The question is whether the matter evolved into a conspiracy with LNP part of it. Whichever the case may be, abuse of the newspapers’ power and prestige to deceive the public and to undermine conscientious county commissioners is inexcusable.
