Referendum Redux: In 1999, voters
turned down light rail. In 2000,
voters turned down the 31st Street
Hotel, which Council approved anyway.
Now Council is mulling over a proposal
that practically combines the two
- another hotel, at 19th Street,
and its own monorail. The $207 million
convention center, which was built
to bolster the oceanfront, is now
what needs the bolstering, from BRT
to 19th Street redevelopment to a
new hotel for conventioneers. Folks
like me remember that the convention
center was one of the reasons given
for building the 31st Street hotel.
Now, another closer hotel is “needed.” Public
private partnerships that create
high-paying jobs and raise our quality
of life can be good things. Public
private partnerships that require
additional public private partnerships
to succeed, create taxpayer nightmares
that are nearly impossible to escape.
Better grab your wallet!
