For many months, I have consulted those experts here and without about the downtown convention hotel. The time for my decision on this matter is here. I believe strongly that our fair City has a limited number of “golden eggs†of leverage sources for urban development. Although a hotel next to the Centre has some shimmering merit, it also has much risk. In light of the added burden of the EPA mandated, soon-to-increased water and sewer rates on our people AND in harmony with my 2011 campaign promise to my constituents to go slow with new public money spending (See hdanadams.com), I know our “golden eggs†must be used very carefully and parsimoniously with most value to guarantee success. By placing them in the new expanded medical school project basket (IUMS-Evansville)…something I know from a lifetime of experience…, I can assure the taxpayers and my colleagues that our limited monies will be best spent. Right now, we have the convention hotel cart before the new downtown medical school horse.
That powerful, only-one chance for urban renewal will have its RFP come forth at Thanksgiving and the new medical school’s location should be decided hopefully by Valentine’s Day 2014, some four months away. Its construction would begin in 2015, which would allow the bond debt of the Centre to be paid off in 2018. A financial breather for us all would be allowed.
As our local history teaches us, hotels can come and go. Our projected medical school with its 1200 students, 130 residents, an exciting simulation center, a minimum of four or more hospitals and four major educational institutions is forever ! Thus, I know for the best bang for our buck, we must put all of our “eggs†in the downtown medical school basket first. City supported downtown hotels (then requiring very low equity input), parking garages, new living space, many permanent good paying jobs, guaranteed urban growth and a hundred years’ worth of superbly trained medical personnel will most certainly follow, as it has in Scranton PA, Atlanta, Grand Rapids and many other locales. Many will criticize me for my lack of vision. I contend that vision is exactly what I am providing.
At this point in time, I will vote No on the present downtown convention hotel.
H. Dan Adams, MD MBA Evansville City Councilman At-Large
Bravo Dan, eloquently stated.
Another big disappointment.
The truth hurts only the liars!
wise decision Doc
Thank you Dr. Adams. You’re THE MAN! 😉
Appreciate it Dan. Since we haven’t heard from Connie, it appears like you were the swing vote for the time being. It is now official that they aren’t going to have the votes. THANK YOU!
Btw, have you been able to make any progress on the slack water port project? Most notably the idea of building an underpass from Dixie Flyer Rd to Ray Becker? And did you get anywhere with that cash for trash idea? That would be great if we can somehow get that here.
Great move Dr. Adams. I’m real proud of you.
Mr. Parke why don’t you go and run and hide.
Dr. Dan what an outstanding political move on your behalf.
The overwhelming majority of voters of this community agree with you.
I also agree with some of the bloggers remarks about this Parke guy.
Well I Am not into your cities politics,don’t vote in the district concerned,what I did notice was the introduction. Dr.Dan Adams MD MBA.
I’ll go with his decision. Hope you ALL well! I’m sure something positive in the downtown will evolve from an vibrant student population,that model seems to work everywhere its applied.
A success with that will likely bring an private venture hotel with it.
I am still at a loss as to why everyone is using the term: downtown medical school. Is there some commitment already to the downtown location?
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I really like Dr. Adams vision in making an all out effort to land the IU Medical School. I had no idea they expect 1,200 students. Time for the old full court press!
Dr. Adams thanks for making the right choice concerning the downtown hotel.
I’m glad I voted for you and shall do it again.
Good job Doc.
Brilliant Dr. Adams. If the IU Med School goes downtown getting a hotel with no or minimal subsidy will be as old Weaver says “a no brainer’. Why waste $37.5 Million today on something that may come free in 2 years? From that perspective this project looks stupid.
I’m going to reserve judgement on the med school until I’ve studied it further, but if these numbers hold true, it could be a good thing for the City.
If anyone has been staying informed about the IU Med School should know that they are being courted by two (2) other locations. These areas are offering 50 acres in which to build on….FREE. USI is one location and the Warrick county/Gateway Medical complex. As much as a resident would love for it to be downtown, is it practical in the eyes of IU and the trustees. The location is NOT a done deal by any stretch of the imagination. To assume that downtown is the next location is setting oneself up for a tremendous letdown.
Why would IU go downtown? There is no hospital for teaching from and it stinks. It is also very dangerous just a few blocks away where many students would likely seek housing. That said if downtown could get the IU Med school it may really be transformed into something good. I see why downtown wants the med school. What I don’t see is why the med school would want to be downtown when the Warrick County alternative has two hospitals, a host of doctor’s offices, a VA clinic, and a Riley branch hospital all within a mile of each other. They also have available land so the kind of buildings that are needed can be done right from day 1.
Do you think a 253 room hotel would change the minds of the trustees to downtown from those other better locations? I think it would be nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
IU being downtown would be amazing. It would put nearly 1,200 young professionals renting properties downtown (lofts). On top of that it would put 1,200 young professionals eating at the restaurants and drinking at the bars downtown.
However, Dan Adams and John Friend’s explanation of voting no on the hotel sounds bogus. If you feel it’s bad financially say so, don’t just cheaply pass off the medical school as an excuse.
On another note, David Dunn should be ashamed of himself for the way he has acted through this whole thing. He has no problem promoting ball fields near his hotels. Then to stop giving money to local charities? What a small town amateur businessman.
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