Sends a Strong Message to County Council and County Commissioners
After nearly a three hour meeting of the Evansville City Council that was filled with spirited debate about the Art’s District TIF the time to vote on the “Hotel before Ballfields” resolution that was co-sponsored by Dan McGinn and Dr. Dan Adams came to a vote a approximately 8:30 pm. The resolution while having no authority to act sends a clear message to the Vanderburgh County Council and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners that the Evansville City Council feels so strongly that Downtown Evansville needs a Convention Hotel that they are willing to vote overwhelmingly in favor of the resolution that expresses support for policies that put a moratorium on committing the Innkeeper’s Tax to any project at all until the Executive Inn Dilemma and its associated parking is solved.
Mayor Weinzapfel held a news conference after the resolution was introduced last Friday to announce that the Innkeeper’s Tax would not be needed to consummate a deal for a Downtown Hotel. It is widely believed that the news conference was called for the purpose of sending a message that the Adams-McGinn resolution was not necessary. During much of Monday efforts to remove the resolution from the City Council’s agenda for tonight were attempted. In the end the resolution was put to a vote and the result was a 7 – 2 affirmative vote. Whether it was necessary or not it has passed and is now a part of the public record.
Neighborhood leaders and supporters of Wesselman Woods Sherman Stevens and Martha Crosley came to the lecturn to urge the Council to adopt the resolution. Ms. Crosley suggested in the same spirit of County Councilman James Raben’s interview with the City County Observer that “the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau should be doing a better job of marketing the recreational facilities that we already have”.
In opposition to the resolution were Jacob Pendleton, President of the Hotel Association and Rita Bauer a General Manager of two hotels and a member of a family that owns several local hotels. The plea that they both made was basically to not use “their” Innkeeper’s Tax to fund a competitor, which was met with some disgust by City Councilman Curt John who corrected them by reminding them that they are simply the collectors of and not the owners of the Innkeeper’s Tax. Ms. Bauer stated that local hotels are currently struggling and that her family has declined investing in a Downtown Evansville Hotel because they do not believe that one is needed.
When it came time to call a vote after every speaker had spoken and every question was answered what was opposed, fought against, and actively blunted in private passed by a wide margin. Council members Adams, McGinn, Robinson, John ,Friend, Watts, and Mosby voted “aye”, with only Council members Bredhold and Walker voting “no”. Councilwoman Mosby was adamant that she was being true to her 2nd Ward constituents who had expressed their support for the resolution to her throughout the weekend. This is one vote that seems to reflect the will of the people of Evansville.
King John continues to unravel.
What a good vote for our Community.
I’m amazed.
Mr. McGinn and Dr. Adams: Thanks for the leadership!!
RFB
We, the voters, thank City Council for this show of support.
We will not forget which Council members cried “Uncle Johnny!” (with dissenting votes) and which felt the call of conscience, responsibility and fiscal restraint.
Bredhold and Walker will pay at the polls.
Voters are not fools, nor are we weak.
As this ballfields issue unfolds, the true motivation is revealed. It’s a struggle to bury Roberts Stadium, (not unlike a criminal setting fire to a crime scene,) and an attempt to funnel tourism dollars to the Dunn Hotels, even at the expense of the Downtown project.
The mayor’s word has lost its credence. No-one confuses his utterances with truth.
The Downtown Arena project has resulted in untold collateral dilemmas.
You just can’t fit the Arena, an adequate supporting hotel and a necessary parking garage into the space alloted. To represent that the Executive Inn deficiencies were a surprise, is in-genuine, or evidence of incompetence.
This reader will be furious, but, not surprised when the D’Patrick properties become (necessary) acquisitions.
We are witnessing the consequences of one man’s will, trumping the reason, logic, common sense and trust of the citizenry.
I do predict and fully expect that County Council will vote to “stop the madness.”
This: In My Opinion
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