The Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s board of commissioners voted 4 – 3 this morning to approve spending $2 million on the City of Evansville’s proposed Downtown convention hotel project. All four of the YES votes came from commissioners who were originally appointed by either former Mayor Weinzapfel or current Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
Half of the $2 million, will go toward accessories such as a parking garage and sky bridges that would connect the hotel to adjacent buildings. The other $1 million would go toward improvements at The Centre, Evansville’s downtown convention facility.
The funds will be provided over 10 years, with $200,000 paid each year
The seven-member board approved the spending by a vote of 4-3. Donna Leader who was first appointed by Mayor Weinzapfel, Earl Milligan who was appointed by Mayor Winenecke, John Montrastelle who was appointed by the County Commissioners when now Mayor Winnecke was its president and Mike Roeder of Vectren who was first appointed by Mayor Weinzapfel voted in favor of the spending.
Mike Roeder’s day job is with Vectren who provides space for the Evansville Regional Business Committee that employs Evansville Redevelopment Commission President Ed Hafer who spoke out in favor of the hotel project at Monday’s meeting of the Evansville City Council.
Rita Bauer appointed by the County Council, Ward Shaw originally appointed by Mayor Weinzapfel, and Kevin Stahl appointed by the County Commissioners voted against the motion.
The money will come from the CVB’s tourism capital development fund, which the CVB can spend only on projects to promote local tourism. Fund money is generated by Vanderburgh County’s innkeepers tax — money that overnight guests pay when they stay at local hotels.
Sure, the whole ECVB is filled with YES people (many I’ve watched in action acting like a parrot for the city) but still these funds are better spent this way than building ball fields at Goebel which completely ignores Evansville’s valuable history and thus have made no attempt at working with MLB’s grants and community development dept much less reached out to local baseball groups who are and have been working with MLB athletes on obtaining these type of grants for many years now.
So yea if you’re just going to waste money at least put it into something in the inner core. The ECVB should be anteing up much more than $2 mil.
Isn’t it funny how we have a prominent member of a political party come on here and talk about how local historic buildings are bleeding the city and that there just wasn’t enough funds to add Roberts to the list. Now, that same Innkeepers Tax that would have been used is now being used for both the ball fields AND the hotel. Now you see why the city would rather waste 10 mil on a dog park than 4/4.5 mil on a properly sized arena for mid-sized events.
It would be interesting to see what Mr. Warren’s choice would be if he had to choose between 8 ball fields and this hotel.
Question: If Roeder is now going to be working out of Indianapolis for Vectren, how is he still keeping his position with the ECVB? Are there any residency requirements?
So…the bloodsucking vampires found yet another vein they can sink their fangs into. The fact that CVB gets its funding from taxing the other innkeepers of the city must make that blood that much sweeter since they’re going to be in direct competition with the good businesses that provided that money.
Yep, and they rigged the vote by appointing sock monkeys the same way they did the spineless ERC. At least 3 people on the CVB board stood up and voted no. I bet their asses will be off of that board very soon.
With their “no” vote, they should not be on the CVB. CVB stands for Convention Visitors Bureau. Its purpose is to promote the city, county and region to increase the number of visitors.
When their term is up, they should not be reappointed. They should consider resigning today.
Sir, I don’t know if you are a (D) or an (R), don’t care.
But I appreciate your observations.
I live over here in Warrick county (almost said thank God) and I am struck by your cogent analysis of the shenanigins going on in Evansville.
Man. I came here in 1985 and thought what a sweet , little, wonderful town to live in. I could not believe how nice and polite people were.
The “wall” hadn’t even been torn down but you could drink at Robby’s and sense the river right there.
Heck , it was the only place you could see it.
Where are the “city leaders” who realized that that wall needed to come down?
Who designed that gorgeous walkway?
Where are those people?
What happened to my “magic town” ?
Tonight is my 60th birthday and yes (I am a bit hammered) it just all seems so sad.
Does no one realize what a wonderful place this is?
That it’s a gift?
Oh yeah, that hotel thing is rediculous.
hangon–1st Happy Birthday!
We do live in a great area of the State/Country. I am proud to live here.
You have a right on your opinion on the Evansville Convention Hotel. I disagree with you. I firmly believe the hotel should be built. I suggest you attend one of the meetings to learn more.
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