IS IT TRUE? May 8, 2011

14

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? May 8, 2011

IS IT TRUE that a drive by of the corner of Walnut Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Downtown Evansville begs some questions with respect to the whole demolition procedure surrounding the old Executive Inn and parking garage?…that the parking garage is now a pile of rubble as it should be?…that the pigeon and mold filled remains of the south wing of the Executive Inn is still eerily standing with no demolition equipment in place?…that this may not be an accident?…that as long as the old Executive Inn is not demolished the possibility that our sparkling new 4-Star (as per Mayor Weinzapfel and Browning in 2007) Convention Hotel may just morph back into a freshly painted Pigeon House aka the refurbishment of the Executive South Tower?…that back when there were four companies bidding on the hotel proposal that one of the ideas floated by the Kunkel Group was to refurbish the old Executive Inn?

IS IT TRUE that getting a loan to move forward with a $32 Million construction project will not be any easier for the Kunkel Group that it was for Woodruff Hospitality?…that the same lending criteria and valuations will still guide banking decisions?…that lowering the price of the project to a number between $15 Million and $20 Million with an $8 Million City of Evansville incentive will make this scenario a 50% down loan package?…that a single change order approved by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission that makes the requirement a 2-Star non branded hotel could seal a deal like this?…that a refurbished Executive Inn and a surface parking lot where the old parking garage was may just be wedged between a $127.5 Million Evansville Arena and a somewhat opulent Centre?…that in most cities it is nearly impossible to place a trailer in between two mansions?…that the City County Observer supported the Hyatt Place proposal and truly hopes that it finds its way to fruition?…that we also expect that the delayed demolition, the fact that the Executive Inn still stands, and the deafening silence of the powers that be on this subject are no coincidence?

IS IT TRUE that we are hearing that Vanderburgh County Councilman Mike Goebel, 5th Ward City Councilman John Friend, 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson, and Dr. Dan Adams at-large City Councilman are busy working their political magic on behalf of the standard bearer that they support to become the next Mayor of Evansville, Rick Davis?

IS IT TRUE that we are also hearing that recently defeated candidate for the 6th Ward City Council nomination and sitting President of the Evansville City Council, B. J. Watts and other prominent members of Westside Democratic Royalty, are turning bright Republican red in the shadows as they prepare to support the efforts to defeat Al Lindsey in the general election?…that common perceived enemies make for some strange and unprecedented friendships?…that we wonder if these newly converted Republican supporters will extend their Republican support east of Pigeon Creek to support Brent Grafton in the 5th Ward and E. Lon Walters in the 2nd Ward general election for Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that the decision makers in the Republican party have decided to pump a great deal of money into the 2nd Ward City Council race? …that they feel that Republican Lon Walters has a good chance of beating incumbent 2nd Ward City Councilwoman Missy Mosby because of her devoted service to now lame duck Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel? … that we are hearing that the figure they have committed to raise for Mr. Walters is somewhere around $50,000?…that conventional wisdom is if Mr. Walters win the 2nd ward City Council seat the Republicans will control the Evansville City Council by a 5 to 4 margin? …Mr. Walters will make the proposed closing of neighborhood fire stations located in 2nd Ward, flooding problems, the Downtown Hotel fiasco, and bad conditions of our city parks into campaign issues that Ms. Mosby will be forced to defend in the upcoming General elections?

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14 COMMENTS

  1. I doubt that BJ will go republican in the 2nd ward, he is related to Missy. I’m hearing reports that Mr Walters is talking to former Pat McBride supporters. If any significant amount of them do go over to Mr Walters Missy Mosby is toast

    • and I wonder if Missy will support Mayoral candidate Rick Davis in order to get help from his team or will she join the Weaver “team”

  3. “JIFFY-POP-ARENA/CRACKER-BOX-HOTEL/POPSICLE-STICK-BRIDGES”
    Resonates, won’t you agree?

    ♪ Go Johnny Go! . … GOOOOoooo. …Johnny B Gone! ♪♫

    I only wish his legacy would disappear with him.

  4. I’ll be one happy camper if the Big E stays and the new proposed Hyatt is toast. They should have never put one finger on the whole hotel complex to begin with.

    I figured Watts and Mosby would gravitate to whoever else was next in line to challenge AL. Al embodies the characteristics of loyalty, dedication, passion, commitment, trust, honesty, and common sense. Those characteristics scare the living daylights out of them as they are not familiar with any of them.

    • For the Big E to be refurbished into a desirable modern hotel it would have to be stripped down to the steel and basically have a new one hung on the old skeleton. That will not save much on the cost. I also seem to remember some statements about seismic inadequacy and not being strong enough to hold the weight of double pane windows. If those two statements both of which are attributable to the project manager are true then it will be impossible to do this in a classy way. If they are not true then the location is perfect and they are caught in yet another statement that is not true.

      • Well yea, the windows and interior would have to be gutted but like Kunkel said… We have four walls to build with. So we need to bring back the Big E. That is by far and away the best plan.

        Put that Big E marquee, rebuild the tower, and put the electronic red ribbon back up and we’re rolling.

  5. Missy Mosbey needs to go the same way team Weinzapfel has. She is so much a part of the problem and not what Evansville needs for the future. I for one will be voting for anybody but Missy!!!!!

  6. I also wonder how John Dunn can afford to remodel the hotel on Hwy41N AND build a Courtyard Inn(Marriott) by the Hilton Garden Inn? How is he getting financing and why are these locations more in demand than downtown hooked up to the entertainmentplex?

    • I have been wondering that myself. The only thing I can guess is that all those hotels on the east side and 41 are not as many stars as we’re shooting for downtown which would make it more affordable to build.

      • but didn’t they say in the above story that it might be lowered to a 2 star hotel, which would be in line with the motel 6?

  7. I would hope it would at least be a 3 star. Surely the Big E has been at least a 3 star during its operation. Another good thing about keeping the BIG E is that the parking garage lot would be free to add more development.

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