I'm all for civic projects- but it seems the only way something of significance gets built anymore is with public dollars.
First- we have the badly-needed- yet heavily city-financed "shopping village" proposed in 1873 (kidding) for the area of 63rd Street & Prospect. Never mind that the retail economy is in some of the worst shape I've seen it during my lifetime.
After a few years of environmental issues and finance-wrangling- it appears that "village" will finally see construction.
Now- yet another "consultant" has been hired to see how to build (publicly-finance) a 1000-room convention hotel in downtown KC-MO..
Convention hotels can be risky business. The City of Overland Park has had to provide taxpayer monies over the past 8 years to cover expenses for their OP-Sheration near 110th Street & Nall- according to this source.
There are other ways to finance such projects- as reported in this Kansas City BUSINESS JOURNAL article. That article also notes how KC-MO has ALREADY subsidized downtown hotels as the Muehlebach Tower and Marriott to the tune of more than $6-million.
The American economy is being squeezed like many of us have never seen in our lifetimes. Municipal budgets everywhere are falling short on income- but long on expenditures.
Very long and very hard looks should be given these days at the financial feasibility of convention hotels or any other public-financed- privately-built/owned projects.
We need reliable infrastructure for life-long residents long before we need 1000 hotel rooms for temporary convention visitors.
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