Friend Threatens To Hold Hotel Ordinance In Committee

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Ted,

City Councilman John Friend
City Councilman John Friend

As I have previously indicated, the information necessary to make an intelligent decision on this multi-million dollar, twenty-five year commitment of the taxpayers of Evansville was dispatch over two weeks ago to your attention. The information given to me on Friday was NOT close to be sufficient in regards to my request. Others on Council may feel it was sufficient, but, I can assure you, it was not. Please note that if I’m denied my request, in the entirety, I will either hold the ordinance in committee, or will oppose the ordinance in the entirely, due to lack of pertinent information. Surely, the members of  Economic Redevelopment Commission had available the same information I have requested before their vote on approval, and, accordingly, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, likewise?

In addition, I have made it abundantly clear that I would execute a confidentially agreement in regards to the propriety aspect of HCW’s information, together with any independent experts the council so desires to engage in this process.

Please advise as to the timeliness. My I add, due to the delay in the my request, even if the data was delivered in the a.m. we may not have sufficient time to evaluate and review, thus delaying the proposal in committee.

Thank you for your consideration.

John

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14 COMMENTS

  1. Makes sense to me. I’m glad to see there are member(s) on this council who are taking this project seriously and evaluating its financial impact. This project has ballooned from a little over 8 mil public subsidy to 37.5 mil while only increasing from 220 to 253 in room size. Somebody needs to be asking the questions that need to be asked. SBR & Al Lindsey are asking them, John Friend is leading them. Thanks!

  2. Finally glad to see Councilmen Friend drawing a line in the sand.

    I hope other Council members follow Mr. Friend lead on this issue.

    I’m sorry I ever voted for the Mayor over Davis. The Mayor is an obvious a back room political dealer.

    Can’t wait till his first and last term is over.

  3. Any council member who votes yes without this info including John Friend is so brain dead they are unfit for public service. Listen up momma doc, dan1, dan2, and Riley.

  4. Thank you Mr. Friend. Your questions and the questions that Ms. Brinkerhoff-Riley asked recently are not only vital to the council’s understanding and its vote but they are very important to the citizens as well. It is both business and common courtesy to respond to these questions. Apparently this hotel group and some members of our city government have no sense of either. To them I say don’t sell me, tell me. Again thank you for standing up for the truth in a timely manner.
    Martha Crosley

  5. I have been really impressed by SBR, John Friend, and Connor O’Daniel so far on this hotel ordeal. They seem to be interested in getting to the bottom of things. I hope my War 1 representative, Dan McGinn joins them. I’d really hate to run against him in the next primary.

  6. Hope Friend keeps his courage up. He has been known to flip flop before. It looks like SBR and Doc Adams are the deciding votes. SBR exposed the Earthcare scam and will probably vote no from pure competence. Doc is being quiet which may mean he is leaning no but doesn’t want to be subjected to a bunch of badgering from the dumb bunnies of support.

  7. Living on the edge of the city limits….has prompted me to attend these town hall meetings concerning the “taxpayers investment” in the adventure with Hilton-Doubletree for a 250 room hotel in our downtown.

    My questions to the political friends that have spoken at every meeting telling we the tax payers ‘WE NEED THIS HOTEL’ ..”WE PROMISE YOU YOUR TAXES WILL NOT INCREASE”…like the little ole lady in a old familiar ad….. asking “Where’s the beef”
    Where’s the money’s????
    What fund are you taking it from???
    What other projects have been assigned to this same fund??
    (EVCP article)CITY CAB’T IGNORE SEWER WOES…Wow..We would see better results using the $37 million on this looming debt!!!
    Show us(your employers) the facts…..NOT EMOTIONS!

    Oh I forgot…..in the 25 years to pay this off….you can annex my subdivision and gain extra income.

  8. “I will either hold the ordinance in committee, or will oppose the ordinance”

    It won’t do any good to let the vote happen and then be the only or one of the few who vote no. You’d better make sure there will be a majority of no votes going along with you. I seriously doubt you will with the puppets that are on the council.

  10. John Friend–

    Please be specfic what exact documents/information do you want that you do not currently have?

    • A business plan that you could take to a reputable lending institution and secure financing with would be a good start. Preferably a plan that did not a $37.5 million gift to your business from taxpayers.

      ___

    • Respectfully Wayne, Councilman Friend published a complete list here about 3 weeks ago. What he and others are seeking is no secret. Please do what you can to get him what he wants so this project can be properly vetted before even taking a vote. Anything less is not going to be acceptable to the analytical people with concerns about this project.

      https://city-countyobserver.com/2013/08/16/councilman-friend-releases-demand-list-for-due-diligence-of-hotel-project/

      • Analytical minds in Evansville. Come on Joe, you should know better than that. You and thousands of other thinking people headed for the exits to get away from these fools. They don’t want to think, they just want to feel good.

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