From WEEK-TV:
A new hotel franchise is on its way to downtown Peoria.
In an agreement between Holiday Inn City Centre and Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., the Holiday Inn hotel will officially be renamed Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Peoria.
A multimillion dollar enhancement for the hotel has already been put into action.
I heard about this after the council meeting last night from the reporters who were there covering the meeting. I have to admit that I was shocked — shocked! — to hear this news. I was told by recently reelected Councilman Turner that this kind of thing simply will not happen unless the City offers millions of dollars in incentives. Yet, this upgrade to the property is being done with private dollars.
Four Points by Sheraton is described as “an upscale four star hotel chain for business and leisure travelers” according to Wikipedia.
Let’s hope these private enterprisers put the Pere and the new baby out of business; why do we as a city want to protect the dpere? Everything down there is old, used and decrepid. Let the owners bring it back on their own or leave it. Time to stop playing favorites.
I stayed in a Four Points (thanks to Priceline.com) while on vacation last year and it was a wonderful hotel. I don’t know why they didn’t ask for any money from the city – I guess they don’t know how things work around here.
Side note, according to Priceline, there are no four star hotels in the Peoria area. Even Embassy Suites is only considered a 3 1/2 star.
All they have to do is ask.
No no no this will not do. This is a fine example of a reasonable solution in desperate need of a serious problem, and a wilder solution.
Look… the area around O’Brien field was supposed to be some downstate Wrigleyville. Why has this not come to pass? Clearly it is because there is no hotel next to or attached to the stadium. If there were, this ball field would be surrounded by shops, restaurants, etc. Instead, it has as neighbors a porn shop and a swingers sex club. So… Peoria needs to offer Starwood Hotels $40, $50, $60 million, awe heck the sky is the limit, to put their hotel where the sex is.
Then, the city can offer the two sex businesses some cheap land near a school, or daycare, or maybe a big church, to re-open, and grandfather them into. Next to Woodruff could be cool. Or maybe Manual?
Developers win. Hotels win. The Chiefs win. Bondholders win. Swingers win. Horny (high)school children win.
Everyone wins!
Let’s see what they actually do with the hotel. “Multi-million” could be $2 million. That hotel needs major, major reconstruction including a new parking deck.
They did ask for city money last year and were turned down.
It is interesting that we still haven’t seen any movement on the Pere/Marriott project. Financing must still be an issue.
I think the main point of the conversation comes in the fact that the entire thing is being done with Private money, not taxpayer dollars. Our current board members, excluding Sandberg and the incoming Akeson and Weaver, have tried to tell us that the only way to build up our town is to shower gifts on investors. Perhaps they are getting the message that Peoria has something to offer besides perks and bribes. Perhaps they realize the wisdom of the old adage, “Will it play in Peoria?”.
Actually Ardis seemed to feel vindicated last night by saying that the development would not have happened with Private money if we did not use the public money to compete with their hotel.
In a related story, the Council voted 9-1 to hire a consultant to help map out a plan for the concept of “private money for private developments”. It will be called “Vision 2050”
150 observer… did you forget your pom poms? You have been all ‘rah rah sis boom bah’ with the other projects downtown, why so cautious about this one … the one being done without city or county or state money?
Actually, kcdad, I have NEVER said I was in favor of the city’s participation in this project. I HAVE said that I think the City, PCC and Cat would all be well served with a quality downtown hotel attached to the Civic Center. I have also frequently questioned whether this Pere/Marriott project will ever get off the ground due to financing concerns.
Please do not misrepresent my positions. Thank you.
150 Observer,the parking deck is not owned by the hotel.And to say the HICC nedds major,major
reconstruction is a bit of a stretch. Kinseth over the years they owned it invested at least $20 million..If the city would have backed Kinseth for the $8 million the HICC would be a Crowne Plaza now and the $8 million would be paid back.Ardis and Marx have both bashed the HICC because they compete with the Pere. With the Chamber and the city pushing investment in the Marriott project they can control where groups stay when they come to town…This is why public money should not be used……..The Sheridan is getting a jump on the renovations,the Kinseth’s had already started,with a new water system ,HVAC’s for the Meeting rooms,lighting system,etc…The Sheridan project is not waitng for investers,they have already started with the renovations.
Thanks, CW. That doesn’t change the fact that the parking deck is a mess and needs to be rebuilt.
Again, I hope the HICC resurfaces as a quality hotel again. It needs a significant amount of money to make it a 4 star hotel. Significant.
We are pleased to say that we are now open and welcome all to come check out the hotel since our renovation. Hope to see you all soon.
Keith, anxious to see it. I hope it is so grandiose that it takes alot of the business away from the Mariott. Ardis, developer and city council deserve to have it fail; that would be their legacy to the dear citizens of peoria whom they’ve screwed.
Imagine, this hotel being recently purchased.
New investors & owners doing an extensive 5 million dollar renovation upgrade;
Making the once glamorous Continental Regency
(most of you do not remember & Keith certainly knows nothing about)
into an up-scale Four Points by Sheraton…and beyond
(Four Points is an economy brand of the Starwood family of properties.
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/index.html
Imagine being told by Peoria City Hall…
“We don’t have the original building plans nor to do we have the “As Is Plans”
for new owners to do the 5 million private money renovations.
Imagine You must hire a contractor to measure the entire complex.
And you get LUCKY.. an old builder graciously accepts the challenge
REMEASURE the ENTIRE COMPLEX for a mere ……$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Yes he was the original builder…(Now you are catching on)
SHHHHHHSHHHHHHHH The new owners don’t know about this scam yet.
Imagine going to a CVB convention visitors meeting
where the Civic Center Authority Questionings…
“We have some concerns”
“REALLY”
“What kind of concerns”????
The group who purchased the hotel are Indians.
You should come and SPEAK to US…
WHY???????????????
Perhaps it’s because the new owners fired the management company for incompetency not being able to turn a profit$
It’s not personal it’s business.
Perhaps the “PLAN” was to invoke emanate domain, purchase the bankrupt property and resell it.
Oh there goes my imagination again….
The Civic Center Authority already knows according to their July 2012 meeting minute notes that only a 50% occupancy is needed to make a PROFIT!
Question:
2013 Will GREENBACKS TRUMP the RACE CARD in the Free Enterprise system?