…the tough get going — out of town? Steve Powell resigned as director of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau yesterday and said he’s moving back to Missouri. Why? The Journal Star reports:

Powell acknowledged he was taking heat from some bureau board members, who include several hoteliers, about the fact he favors a new hotel attached to the Peoria Civic Center.

Just in case you don’t know who’s on the PACVB board of directors, here they are (according to their website, which I assume is up-to-date):

• Dan Cunningham, EastSide Centre – Chairman
• Ken Goldin, Bradley University – Vice Chairman
• LaVonne Hamilton Klein, Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center – Secretary/Treasurer
• Rick Edwards, Caterpillar Inc.
• Jim Garner, MultiAd
• Craig Hullinger, City of Peoria
• Honorable John Morris, Peoria City Council
• Frank Pedulla, Radisson Hotel Peoria
• Tony Pisano, Kouris’ Restaurants
• Sami Qureshi, Holiday Inn City Centre
• Debbie Ritschel, Peoria Civic Center
• Mary Jo Schettler, PAR-A-DICE Hotel Casino
• Honorable W. Eric Turner, Peoria City Council
• Don Welch, Hotel Pere Marquette

Now, I’m not a proponent of the Civic Center hotel idea either. But if taking a little heat from the board over one of your ideas/positions causes you to take your ball and go home, there’s something wrong. There must be more to the story than that.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the recent flap over unauthorized redirection of funds because that took place under Keith Arnold, Powell’s predecessor. It’s hard to imagine how that could have hurt Powell, unless he was involved in some sort of cover-up after the fact.

Perhaps this quote from Powell provides a clue:

“The only thing I’ll say is that Peoria needs to be sold as a destination, then they can better sell the products that are offered within the destination. Some people didn’t understand that.”

It sounds like the differences between Powell and the board went deeper than a single hotel issue. That quote makes it sound like there was a fundamental difference of philosophy on how to “sell” Peoria, and that’s why Powell’s job may have been in jeopardy if he kept pushing his agenda. In that case, his departure may have been on principle.

Now they have to start searching for a new director, and the search committee comprises the bureau’s chairman (Cunningham) and vice chairman (Goldin), a representative from Caterpillar, and a representative appointed by the Mayor. Considering Cat is against a Civic Center hotel, and the city isn’t very warm to the idea either, I’ll bet the next director will be against it, too. Which begs the question, did Cat have anything to do with the pressure put on Mr. Powell?