Thursday, May 15, 2014

Pere-Marriott-City Council-Matthews Most Likely Blunder

Credit goes to the Peoria Journal Star for repeatedly warning the Peoria City Council members and Mayor that the Pere-Marriott deal may leave $37 million or more on the taxpayers plate. Also, on November 1, 2011, I wrote an open letter to the City Council in which I wrote, "To vote 'yes' tomorrow night, will be a serious mistake maybe not noticeable for 4-6 years from today. And then forever". To find my letter, go to my blog site and enter "Peoria City Council - a message from an experienced businessman". Only Weaver and Akeson voted 'no' while Sandberg was absent. Akeson's 'no' vote was basically on asethetics while Weaver took a more business like stance stating that the project shouldn't be built with a strong possibility that the local taxpayers shouldn't be stuck with the possibility of paying off $37 million or more. The public has beeb a spectator to a series of misunderstandings and outright mistakes from day one. While the plastic duck is still afloat in choppy waters, it is most likely that this fragile and probale "boondoggle" while be sunk by a locd of expenses far outweighting bottom line profits. Plus Peoria and surrounding areas may have already over built in paid places to stay. As a public supported entity, it is obligated to post room occupancy compared to rooms empty. Look for the City and County most likely owning this project, the museum, the ball park and if the sports complex is built on the Northwest side to Peoria, add that in the mix with the outside possibility of the still not paid off loan that uilt the Peoria Park District RiverPlex. Since this is another Ardis supp[orted deal, I expect this newsortthy item will have "long legs" in the Peoria Journal Star. A lot longer than the musuem which the PJS strongly supported and now says little about the finances of this publickly funded project including whether alll the money was raised, since it hasn't been raised including a shabby and questionably unfunded Endowment. Intersting what the lack of strong businesspeople on local boards along with big egoes on the outside pulling the strings can do with hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that do NOT benefit the majority. It is noticable that the PJS has not memtioned whether Matthews was billed and paid the $41 overrun for failing to meet schedules. Anyone care to answer with dates of payments?? Probaly not.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Merle - I heard a rumor about mechanic liens on the hotel. Any truth to that?

Anonymous said...

Although I approve of your comments - using spell check might lend to to the credibility. Just a suggestion.....

Merle Widmer said...

Could be. Cat says they are in no hurry so we will see. If Taft Homes are demolished, Peoria Park Board President Bonnie Noble will be enthralled.

Spell-check somehow got disconnected. Working again so I'll do more blogs.

Merle Widmer said...

Mechanic Loans? Too much secrecy and not enough JS investigative reporters that are qualified.