Convention center vote moved up Options

[Lancaster Online]

Convention center vote  moved up 
By Paula Holzman
02-24-2005
Intelligencer Journal

The School District of Lancaster board has agreed to vote to
vote on a proposed $129 million hotel and convention center in
March - a month sooner than the board had planned vote, officials
said Wednesday.

Post your thoughts and comments about this article.

[Mixxster]

Board members have been deluged with e-mails and phone calls urging them to vote against the project, members said.

Maybe folks are waking up.

[jackooboy]

The sad thing is that i doubt the convention center authority will quit even if the SDoL board torpedoes the plan... They will just take another 4 or 5 years or more trying to raise funds, all the while, W&S will be vacant.

[obie]

The sad thing is that i doubt the convention center authority will quit even if the SDoL board torpedoes the plan... They will just take another 4 or 5 years or more trying to raise funds, all the while, W&S will be vacant.
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IF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS READ 02-24-05 INTELL AND LOOKED AT THE PICTURE OF THE HOTEL NEXT TO THE W&S BUILDING AND REALIZE WHAT VERY POOR PLANNING HAS GONE INTO THIS WHOLE DEAL THEY WILL HAVE TO VOTE NO DEALS WITH THE CONVENTION AUTHORITY.
300 PARKING SPACES, WAS THAT A MISPRINT, OR DO THEY ACTUALLY THINK THATS ALL THE SPACES THEY NEED.
ACTUALLY MOST 129 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS ONLY NEED 300 PARKING SPACES, ha ha ha ALL THW WAY TO THE POOR HOUSE............
OH, ITS ONLY THE TAXPAYERS MONEY........
SCHOOL BOARD YOU HAVE TO VOTE NO NO NO NO NO NO ..................

[fishbulb]

No need to shout, obie. We'll understand you just as well if you deactivate your caps lock.

[dgnct]

The convention center is a huge mistake, doomed to cost taxpayers forever. Who would want to come? Tourists are only interested in stuff on Rt 30 and Amishland. Not some dumb overpriced convention center with high priced parking and one way streets. Give me a break. Turn the Watt and Shand into housing. Convention Centers are failures in every city. Why are the partners so intent on shoving a vote through, and cramming this joke through. Hmmmm.

[jackooboy]

$$$$$$$$... that's why.

[Artie See]

The convention center is a huge mistake, doomed to cost taxpayers forever.  Who would want to come?  Tourists are only interested in stuff on Rt 30 and Amishland.  Not some dumb overpriced convention center with  high priced parking and one way streets.  Give me a break.  Turn the Watt and Shand into housing.  Convention Centers are failures in every city.  Why are the partners so intent on shoving a vote through, and cramming this joke through. Hmmmm.
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I've been wondering exactly the same thing since it was first proposed.

[Guest_nad1998_*]

Who would want to come?
[right][snapback]76841[/snapback][/right]

i have been thinking this the whole time. who and what companies/organizations are going to use this? i don't know too many corporations that are thinking "hey, i bet if we hold our convention in lancaster, PA...tons of people will come this time".


the reality of it is that I can hear ads on the radio saying "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY...ONE DAY ONLY...40-80% off of guns, knives, comic books, name brand shoes. ONLY AT THE LANCASTER CONVENTION CENTER!" :( i see baseball card and comic books shows using the convention center more than company shows and expos.

[Artie See]

  i see baseball card and comic books shows using the convention center more than company shows and expos.
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Not once they find out they have to PAY to park, in some cases several blocks away!

[dgnct]

In most states taxpayers are allowed to vote on costly issues like this. In PA, you are allowed to vote for almost nothing. Everything is decided by a small select board or a few commissioners. They ignore the people, they do not represent the popular opinion. The small select few ram their projects through no matter what. Why have PA reidents put up with this for so long.?

[Artie See]

Why have PA residents put up with this for so long.?
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Because it costs too much to move to another state?

More likely, it's because those in positions of power won't give the people an opportunity to have a voice in their own affairs. Elections are won based on promises not kept. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Several years ago, Pittsburgh held a vote on a proposed convention center; it lost. Somehow, it got built anyway...

[LT Taxpayer]

We need to hope that the elected officials have realized that this project is doomed. Doomed due to poor planning of what is really needed and wanted by people that go to conventions, not downtown Lancaster. Lets just say we take the 129 million and not build the convetion center, but invest the money at 5% that would give us an income of 6.5 million without having to worry about expenses. do you think the convention center will make that kind of money after the three kings take their share? Please lets think this through.

[Chetnik]

It will be interesting to see if Smithgall, Cooley, Hixon or any of the other top proponents of this boondoggle show up to listen to Heywood Sanders. I doubt if they will, they didn't have the sense to acknowledge the validity his report. Hopefully their arrogance won't have a chance to kill this town. Hopefully the SDL does the right thing and rejects the TIF.

[jrmwarfare]

It will be interesting to see if Smithgall, Cooley, Hixon or any of the other top proponents of this boondoggle show up to listen to Heywood Sanders. I doubt if they will, they didn't have the sense to acknowledge the validity his report. Hopefully their arrogance won't have a chance to kill this town. Hopefully the SDL does the right thing and rejects the TIF.
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I really want to see Heywood Sanders, to listen to what he has to say. But I'm not able, due to prior commitments. However, I will be at Hand MS on the 10th to voice my opinion to the school board regarding their decision on the TIF. I hope everyone has this on their calendar to attend. The more people there to show support to the board the better. I hope to see you all there.

JRM B)