Conference Center Remarks @ Council Mtg Tonight

It's good the Jefferson City Council is soliciting public input on the conference center issue. I decided to share a few thoughts tonight.

1.  The Council should be patient. If it was easy it would have been done long ago.

2.  They are not starting from scratch. There has been quite a bit of work done already.

    a.  Land purchased and buildings demolished at the downtown site.

    b.  Committments by the State to make the old State Health Lab site available.

    c.  The 2010 lodging tax vote (specifying the downtown site) passed by a margin of 12%.

3.  Recent market studies confirm the downtown site is preferred 2 to 1 by meeting planners.

4.  The parking structure and land acquisition are city responsibilities and not the developer's.

    a.  But there is $$$ in the parking fund for this purpose.

    b.   And the state wants to be a partner.

5.  Don't build something that is not a lot bigger than what we have now. 

6.  It's ok to wait until the right sized project can be located in the right place.

7.  Don't do something easy and quick at the mall site just to get it done.

A LOT TO SAY IN THREE MINUTES !!!!