Comments on Advance Indiana™: Hotel Decision Shocker: It's The Marriott

I find your blog very interesting. I do, since I h...

2008-07-10T06:15:00.000-05:00

I find your blog very interesting. I do, since I had to deal with the Marriott. It is a leading lodging company in the United States and other 67 countries of the world. It operates 2.900 lodging properties. At a very informative site, www.pissedconsumer.com, I found lots of negative feed backs in the address of the company. And it turned out to be useful. In my trip, I managed to avoid all the misunderstandings, due to the site.

I said screwdrivers for a reason, Hail. You'll no...

2006-12-20T16:13:00.000-05:00

I said screwdrivers for a reason, Hail. You'll note there was no immediate retort. Also for a reason.

Too many Screwdrivers this morning?That's too high...

2006-12-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

Too many Screwdrivers this morning?

That's too high class of a drink for Wilson. Thunderbird is more appropriate for his type.

All the stories this morning, indicated the develo...

2006-12-20T12:56:00.000-05:00

All the stories this morning, indicated the developer repsonded ot the city's request to jazz it up. So, it looks like Mr. White will do just that.

Bold is good. We need more of it.
But you don't choose a hotel strictly because of its contribution to the skyline. Hotels are risky businesses. It's kind of difficult to alter a hotel's business plan if it's not working, so you've got to get it right the first time.

It is not a business for the faint of heart.

I am told that White was going to build this hotel regardless of the city's decision. If so, as AI has mentioned, perhaps we can scale back the incentives?

The artist's renderings of the JW Marriott were ha...

2006-12-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

The artist's renderings of the JW Marriott were hastily put together for the purpose of the presentation and do not represent at all what the final look of the hotel will be. And since it will have 1,000 rooms instead of 800, it's more likely to be as tall as 35 stories. So hang on ... it might not be another "box" at all.

Aesthetically speaking, the InterCon plan was bold...

2006-12-20T09:08:00.000-05:00

Aesthetically speaking, the InterCon plan was bolder and would have bolstered Indy's image and skyline. Now we're just getting a rather pedestrian-looking hotel that won't truly impress anyone. To compete, Indy needs to start acting like a 1st tier city despite its 2nd tier mentality.

I lived in Seattle for years, and while Indianapolis is larger in size and population, Seattle boasted a better skyline and a more metropolitan atmosphere.

Indianapolis must start practicing what it preaches in terms of being "world-class."

(pinching myself, checking previous posts, looking...

2006-12-20T09:06:00.000-05:00

(pinching myself, checking previous posts, looking at topics)

Uh, Wilson...NOBODY was talking about Carl Drummer in this post.

Too many Screwdrivers this morning?

As for the idiot who said they have no representat...

2006-12-20T07:39:00.000-05:00

As for the idiot who said they have no representation in Center Township: voters had their choice to make on November 7th - voters chose Carl Drummer etc by a 3-to-1 margin. That's a landslide and a mandate. It's called Democracy - it's American - it's Hoosier - it's served us well since 1776 !

uh, genius...The tax abatements are granted by per...

2006-12-20T06:04:00.000-05:00

uh, genius...

The tax abatements are granted by persons who are elected by us.

Tax Abatements without Citizen input via Referendu...

2006-12-20T00:27:00.000-05:00

Tax Abatements without Citizen input via Referendum/Ballot????
You are Totalitarians All.
This is Taxation without Representation and we citizens have no representation in Center Townshiop....
"Refresh the Republic" anyone??

6:43 back agian.I'm still upset that the decision ...

2006-12-19T23:22:00.000-05:00

6:43 back agian.

I'm still upset that the decision was made to go with what I'm sure will be a very nice (albeit just another) Marriot over was would have been a bold new entry into the Indianapolis skyline. 25 stories isn't a small building by any stretch of the imagination, but the 44 of the Intercon. would have been spectacular.

As for subsidies, I think this (unlike the Emmis building) is a project that you do give tax abatements for, its a big picture, long term kinda thing.

Multi-million dollar incentive requests from the W...

2006-12-19T19:02:00.000-05:00

Multi-million dollar incentive requests from the Wells team may earn a veto from Bart.

Browning obviously needs the garage below his proposed hotel to be taken seriously.

Both hotels had ballrooms. Differing sizes, but t...

2006-12-19T18:53:00.000-05:00

Both hotels had ballrooms. Differing sizes, but they're there.

Mike Wells has sucked the city dry in the past; he's benefitted from his very close ties to the Goldsmith administration. Evidence: the Emmis Building...which he developed, and for which he got city subsidies and received a developer's AND broker's fee.

And there was zippo competition for that proposal.

Different administration, same bullshit.

Prefab hotels like Fairfield, Courtyard, & Renaiss...

2006-12-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

Prefab hotels like Fairfield, Courtyard, & Renaissance should not receive any taxpayer incentives.

Certainly the low rent hotel across the street from the Lucas Oil Stadium did not get incentives.

I think you're wrong anon 6:43. I believe both hot...

2006-12-19T18:48:00.000-05:00

I think you're wrong anon 6:43. I believe both hotels had ballrooms in their proposals. I don't know how they compare sizewise.

This is a mistake, the other proposal was bold, a ...

2006-12-19T18:43:00.000-05:00

This is a mistake, the other proposal was bold, a big city statement. This is just another ho-hum business hotel. Without a ballroom.

Bad decision.

Sorry all the Peterson bashers have to eat crow. ...

2006-12-19T18:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry all the Peterson bashers have to eat crow. Hmmmm. I wonder if Goldsmith and his boys would have done the right thing.....Just joking.