Movable Scam moves back (Jack Bog's Blog)

As predicted here, the council of Metro, our regional government and slush fund, did not kill the Portland Convention Center hotel project yesterday. Indeed, they took a step in the opposite direction. Suddenly Metro is back to saying that the city will have to subsidize the white elephant even more than it already has. Oh, and get this: Multnomah County should also scratch around in its sofa cushions and come up with a subsidy:

First, Metro officials will talk to potential partners about sharing some of the development costs. The discussions will involve members of the Portland City Council, the Multnomah County Commission, the Oregon Legislature and businesses and property owners that might benefit from the construction of the hotel.
“We are not going to build this hotel without the financial commitment from all partners vested in the economic development of this region,” said Councilor Rod Park, who is heading up research into the project of the council.

Paging Ted Wheeler: You slashed your budget and told us all to get real. Please get Rod Park on the phone right now and let him know what a complete nonstarter that is.

Paging Mark Rosenbaum: I think the folks at Metro are a little hard of hearing on this one. Give old Rod a call and tell him the bank is closed.

Comments (10)

It's all about priorities! eh?

Posted by Ben | September 28, 2007 12:13 PM

I'm used to hearing politicians talk unrealistically, but this is so ridiculous. One part of the scam is that other hotels will benefit from the new one, so they should be forced to help pay for it. I don't believe those numbers - if they even exist. I know this is the Rose City but nobody could see out of rose-colored glasses that thick. For the most part, the new hotel will be taking business from the other hotels. So they literally have to pay for their own competition. It's like paying for a romantic rival to take out the girl of your dreams, in the hopes she'll like you more afterwards. It's so crazy only a politician could say it with the right clueless enthusiasm. Of course, it's easy to be a bold visionary when you're playing with other people's money.

Posted by Bill McDonald | September 28, 2007 1:11 PM

The Oregonian reported today how Metro had squashed the hotel supporters. The Oregonian's journalism is a joke. Metro kept the stupid idea alive, and reading other sources, it's just as likely if not more likely to occur now. The city of Portland will move monies around no doubt to make it look like its contributing to the hotel funding without impacting taxes. But in reality it will result someway in higher property taxes, fees or other revenue appropriation. It's the proverbial shell game.

Posted by Bob Clark | September 28, 2007 1:51 PM

Can't the hoteliers get a little more vocal about this? I mean, even picket signs at their own hotels would make people more aware of what's going on, if Metro, the press, etc. don't listen to them at meetings.

Posted by LC | September 28, 2007 1:56 PM

Funny, huh? Everyone wants this hotel, but no one wants to be responsibile for it!

I'd love to see the look on the Ashforth troops faces.

Posted by Steve | September 28, 2007 2:49 PM

I doubt they were surprised. But I'm sure they're not happy. "Neil promised!" LOL.

Posted by Jack Bog | September 28, 2007 3:01 PM

I was duped!, I thought that MAX was going to be the answer to getting hotel guests from Downtown and the Lloyd district hotels to the convention center.

Portland suffers from the same problem Reno, Nevada has about attracting coventions, lack of direct airline flights.

Posted by John W | September 28, 2007 6:02 PM

This just in, Citizen Smith is going to run for City COuncil.

Great, another incompetent with no clue on how to fix schools, potholes, police problems or balance a budget and white male to boot. Listen to his stump speech about light rail - he does know trolleys.

Can't someone convince Amanda Fritz to run, puh-leeze!

Posted by Steve | September 28, 2007 7:58 PM

I've noticed recently on promotions for travel tours outside the country where Portland has actually been closer to the point of destination that the airfare portions of the tour cost has been usually over $200 dollars more than other other cities of departure in the US. That is because we have no direct flights. Same applies to in-country destinations.

Gee, maybe we should include the Port of Portland into this fiasco and have them help subsidize the Hotel. Heck, why not the Portland School District, there must something in all this "that's for the kids".

Posted by Lee | September 28, 2007 9:24 PM

Metro cannot seriously think the County would consider supporting this project before the Sellwood bridge and Wapato jail issues are taken care of. IMO, by even suggesting the County as a player, they've effectively killed the project.

Posted by Little Red Riding Hood | September 29, 2007 11:00 AM

About

Search

Clippings

Archives

Links

E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Friday, September 28, 2007

Movable Scam moves back

Comments (10)

Sponsors

In Vino Veritas

The Occasional Book

Road Work