IS IT TRUE that the Branson Mo developer is paying a visit to our fair City and last Evening, the Mayor broke out the top shelf goodies?…that this Hotel deal looks like it is on the “fast track”? … we should remember the downtown baseball complex that then Mayor Russell Lloyd, Jr. touted using the same terminology, and he never held one city hall meeting?…that history may be repeating itself?…nobody seems to know any broad details about this complex project, not even the media.
IS IT TRUE that this hotel will have 252 rooms, a 24,000 square foot ballroom, retail shops, residential apartments, yes, residential apartments, meeting rooms, and a parking garage which the City will have to build at a cost of $7,000,000 and leased to the Branson gang over a ten year period of time receiving $1,800,000, a 2.57% rate of return?…that the estimated cost of construction of this hotel is $73,000,000 and the taxpayer’s will have to pony up to $27,000,000 while the developer throws down only $9,000,000?…that it does not stop with the $27,000,000, but, the taxpayer will be committed to expending $13,000,000 on an additional structure behind the Ford Center for storage and conference facility since the original design of the Ford Center was inadequate, three connecting walkways between the hotel, the Centre, and the Conference Center totaling $40,000,000?…the rest of today’s IIT comes from selected lines of the Pre-Development Agreement that will be signed by the City of Evansville through the Evansville Redevelopment Commission today?…we doubt they have even had time to read this and think about it?…this is a case of McCurdy déjà vu?
IS IT TRUE there will be a Developer Fee subject to the conditions contained herein, within thirty (30) days of execution of this Agreement, City shall pay Developer the Developer Fee, in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), for Development Services (a) provided by Developer as of the date of this Agreement and (b) as may be provided by Developer through June 30, 2013 (or the earlier execution of a formal Development Agreement?
IS IT TRUE the City acknowledges certain third party costs that have been and continue to be paid out by the developer?…the City even agrees to pay these 3rd Party costs up to $200,000?…we suspect third party costs to include travel, meals, entertainment, and charges for copying and renderings?… For a Third Party Cost (which by definition have already been approved by the ERC) to be eligible for reimbursement the City must be presented with a Payment Request in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “C†containing a detailed invoice, describing in reasonable detail the work performed, the dates such work was performed and containing an acknowledgment that such work is directly related to the Project?…the spending has already begun and the City Council has not even been asked to vote on a bond issue?…this is Earthcare Energy déjà vu at roughly the same up-front money costs when it comes to 3rd Party costs?…it seems the City of Evansville can use surrogate agencies like the appointed ERC to spend $200,000 on a purple cow without fear of retribution or asking the City Council to approve?…this is no way to run a city?
IS IT TRUE the negotiation of a real contract will continue until the middle of the summer and it looks like the City will be paying $250,000 good taxpayer dollars to the group they are negotiating with for the privilege of negotiating with them?…the first rule of negotiation is to never negotiate with yourself on the other guys behalf?…there is no rule that says “do not pay the other guy to negotiate with youâ€?…that rule must need to be put into the rule book for places like the City of Evansville that think paying a foe to negotiate against you makes sense?…we would like to have a camera if anyone went to a car lot and the salesman came out and said “I will negotiate a deal with you if you pay me $500 to negotiate and afterward you get to pay in full for the carâ€?…that would be one desperate buyer to accept such an asinine proposal?…the City of Evansville looks like it has done so?
Our elected leaders are leading us toward bankruptcy.
How much were the new schools in 2009?
How much was the stadium in 2010?
How much are the sewers going to be?
How much will the new hotel cost?
Our local leaders have probably spent more tax dollars in that 5 year period than in any other 5 year period ever when you include the sewers.
Unbelievable! Insightful CCO this morning… especially insightful that our officials would pay a developer for “development expenses” during negotiations??? Getting completely snookered…. AGAIN!!!!
It’s like our officials are constantly in their “first rodeo” and have no clue how to make an actual business deal that benefits the City and is fair to a developer.
“…it seems the City of Evansville can use surrogate agencies like the appointed ERC to spend $200,000 on a purple cow without fear of retribution or asking the City Council to approve?…this is no way to run a city?”
that right there is the reason we should abolish the ERC. The ERC is nothing more than an arm of the Executive under the guise of balanced government. The Council should step in here and assert its authority under the laws of the State of Indiana and nip this in the bud. The ordinance that created the ERC should be brought up for review. It’s obvious they are not serving the best interests of the people if they can put taxpayer money on the line for projects that have not been rightly approved by the legislative body.
By the way, no matter what they say, if the City Council does nothing to stop the ERC, they are culpable for everything they do, despite the deniability of only appointing two voters to the Commission. They cannot sit back and blame the Mayor for everything that is about to happen. It’s a question of genesis. The ERC is the Council’s baby, ultimately. Like my mom always said, “I brought you into this world, I can take you out.” That’s the message the council should be sending the ERC right now, and should have done after Earthcare.
It’s kinda like the mayor is a blooming arshole
um that would be blooming idiot
“…the first rule of negotiation is to never negotiate with yourself on the other guys behalf?…there is no rule that says “do not pay the other guy to negotiate with youâ€?”
HAHA! Brilliant.
I got a real kick out of the last IIT. I wonder if the Editor has considered maybe the ERC and Mayor are geniuses and they are working on the angle of convincing the developer they are so completely inept and incompetent to not build a hotel here and fleece the lot of us would be unthinkable from a business perspective. 😀
They’re like the Garry Kasperovs of city development, playing a twisted mindgame. Making us just THINK they are idiots.
Snegal Thievery in it’s Finest Hour and Form!
Classic Evansville that makes us all Proud.
RUN!
Please not that the ERC approved and paid the legal/negotiation costs of Browning Investments way, way back in the movie ‘Hotel I’.
not = note
Regret voting for Winnecke because he had a R by his name yet?
Snippet from the C&P article:
“We are losing a lot of money in our community,†Warren said.
CLASSIC! you can say that again Bob!
Have we learned ANYTHING about vetting?:
http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-city-of-branson-defraud-fema-of.html
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http://www.bransoncourier.com/issue-38/city_budget_challanges_TIF_Landing-984.html
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http://styronblog.com/2010/07/19/branson-landing-and-the-dilemmas-of-economic-development/
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Is there a Ruth Denham anywhere in Evansville? Is there anyone with enough backbone and intestinal fortitude to stand up and point out all the crooked dealings in either the arena or hotel dealings?
“…we should remember the downtown baseball complex that then Mayor Russell Lloyd, Jr. touted using the same terminology, and he never held one city hall meeting?”
That is very much incorrect. The former mayor did what no mayor since has done- he created a downtown master plan. In doing so, the public was called to several meetings at the Centre that were packed like sardines. From those sessions came the proposed location.
Also, once the plan was unveiled there were a few meetings. No, I don’t remember what days they were on specifically but I remember very vividly the meetings.
If anything, the problem was the mayor didn’t do enough. I have since talked with those involved with the proposed team that was suppose to come but ended up in Bowling Green. According to them, they had to learn in the paper that the plan was cancelled. They were never given the opportunity to alter the plan to make it cheaper or chip in more $. Did the location need to be different? Yes. Should the public still know the great things that were going to happen to Bosse? Yes. Did the former mayor no listen to the community? No!
The last word on this subject: We Don’t Need No Stinking Convention Hotel!
I guess I’m confused! Can not the City Council STOP these things from happening over and over again?
I would say they may be the ONLY government entity that has the authority to stop the project if they deem it too expensive for the taxpayers. Every individual member of city council is answerable to the city population as a whole.
It would be nice t have a new convention hotel, but not at ANY PRICE. Council needs to understand just how precarious Evansville’s financial situation is currently.
Personally, I feel like the taxpayers are being asked to pump too much into this project. It is not like there is no private capital available. Just witness the $15.million that suddenly appeared by an anonymous to place 70+ “apartments” on this project site!
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Make that: “an anonymous source”.
I honestly am beginning to believe a “Gang” is in control of Evansville.
By process of elimination, no other answer fits as well.
Yes I’m Serious…I can no longer toss that conclusion aside as a stretch, when considering the vast amounts of Money changing hands, the prolific number of Snegal events, and lack of Common Sense that define the Community’s Leadership over the past few years.
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