Hyatt Place Hotel Latest of Downtown Developments
Project developers say the purchasing paperwork is signed and the financing is in place for construction to begin. The developers of the new 139 room Hyatt Place say time and location were key in their decision to develop.
The $18-million private investment won’t receive any city subsidy but is expected to impact the city’s future for years to come, “We know it creates jobs providing income to residents who need work, employee pay-roll taxes and of course property taxes,†said Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
For years the properties that will be developed have been tax exempt — owned by non-profits but that will change, creating revenue from property taxes after the development is assessed, “This is going to be great for the city it’s also going to be great for our Convention and Visitors Bureau because of room taxes and those go into amenities throughout the community,†said Downtown Alliance Director Joshua Armstrong.
While some are concerned about supply and demand, Bob Warren with Evansville Conventions and Visitors Bureau says the Hyatt will be in high demand simply because of its location and connectivity to the downtown business district, “When you look at all of the business travel that’s in our market it’s probably one of the strongest elements of our tourism. People are coming in because we have universities, we have health care centers, we have strong manufacturing…a very strong business climate.â€
The city currently attracts more than 4 million visitors annually bringing in over $500-million — the new hotel only to generate more revenue, “Our team at the CVB and our industry are working very hard right now to make sure that we are dominant when it comes to conventions and meetings and workshops, seminars, retreats…everything that we can house in this market we’re going to try to house,†said Bob Warren.
Vanderburgh County Authorities Warn of Fake Kidnapping Scam
The sheriff says a mother was tricked into believing her daughter had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom.
The caller demanded money in exchange for her release.
The mother sent $2,000 via Moneygram and Western Union, and was planning to send more before the daughter called her and she realized it was a scam.
The sheriff says the suspects in these types of cases using emotion to get people to make rash decisions.
Authorities say if this happens to you, request to speak with the person allegedly kidnapped and call police.
Students Have a Chance to Fix Problems with the Changemaker Challenge
The Institute for Global Enterprise is kicking off this year’s Changemaker Challenge competition.
College students got a chance to get inspired Monday and high school students will meet Tuesday.
The goal of the program is to get young people to find a problem they are passionate about and find solutions through collaboration.
At the competition in February, college students can win seed money to make their ideas a reality.
Some of the local business authorities talk like Evansville is busting at the seams with new conventioneers wanting to visit here, and new businesses wanting to locate here and all Evansville needs is more hotels to make it happen, when mostly Iâ€ve seen an exodus of businesses and jobs in the Evansville area(Whirlpool, Alcoa, et al) over the past 20 years, with some lower wage jobs like Berry Plastics taking up some slack, but still a net loss in job numbers. Does hotel work pay that much ? Is Evansville that impressive that conventioneers will want to locate businesses here permanently, or will they see it more a run-of-the-mill Midwestern city ?
Evansville will become a jewel on the Ohio and conventioneers will come in droves to see top-notch entertainment and hockey at the Weinzapfel Center, throw their money at gambling tables, view our war relics, and just enjoy the ambience of our flourishing artistic district at Haney’s corner.
Or, probably not.
True.
Also, medical students will be ecstatic to now have to navigate the downtown area to attend classes, forgoing the bucolic USI campus, where they now will have a better opportunity to visit the casinos in the hopes of paying off raking student debt, and can stay in expensive hotels.
The view of the Ohio will be great though, as Mayor Winnecke will beam with pride at his creation.
Now, if we can just get those Penguins, we’ll be all set.
Yes, I’m sure the students will be supporting the wild nightlife downtown because we know medical studies don’t really require much, you know, eh, ….study. They would be so bored out of their minds by the bike trails, physical recreation facilities, and peaceful surroundings at USI.
It’s disgusting out here, with all those trees, fields of green grass, wildlife, and lakes.
The spin in the Daily Disappointment this morning was that the Hotel business in Evansville will fly like an eagle due to:
1) Land-based casino;
2) Acts at the Ford Center;
3) Additional conventions; and
4) The IU Med School
It adds that the thing which has held back the Conventions piece was the lack of a hotel. By golly, this will be the thing which “saves” The Centre, according to the paper this morning ! Doing a little math, Item # 2 has already proven that it didn’t help the Centre, so I guess one of the other three is the magic bullet. But the Casino already has two hotels of their own, so maybe we are down to # 3 or # 4 frying the bacon.
I also like how C&P disparaged The Dunn Group. They were against the $ 20 Million subsidy, and concerned that the City would have too much hotel capacity, and the paper seems to be poking fun at Dunn for now building two more I-69 hotels.
As far as the C&P is concerned, the city stops at the river, Fulton Ave., Diamond Ave., and Weinbach.
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