Go Gotto
CM Jim Gotto (District 12 Hermitage) wants us all to see the Music City Center numbers (so do a lot of other people).
"If, in fact, these contracts are giving away the space or heavily discounting it, then that doesn't bode well for being able to pay the operating expenses of the convention center," said Gotto."Competitive reasons"--right.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau said the details of what each group is paying for exhibit space and hotel rooms needs to be a trade secret for competitive reasons. WSMV
From the screen shot I can only assume that there are discounts and incentive numbers that have been whited out. How on Earth can councilmen or taxpayers evaluate the wisdom of this huge financial commitment without those numbers? How can I believe Terry Clements, lobbyist for the Convention & Visitors Bureau, who said just last Thursday there were no freebies when I can't see the actual numbers? They'll let the Council peek at the numbers but they can't walk away with copies? No. Without hard copies available to keep convention proponents accountable over time NO Metro councilman should vote for this boondoggle. You want taxpayers to cosign for $1 Billion dollars but we can't see all the details of the deal? I don't think so.
And further, we're not supposed to be concerned about the convention center numbers and that half of the conventions aren't actually going to fully utilize this 'needed' larger facility because it's the hotel rooms that bring in the money?
You want to keep the particulars of the deal private? Use your own money.
2 comments:
They need to keep details secret because of the competing deals made for the spaces - as you would expect if they were operating a private business. In reality, this is a government entity entering to the hospitality/service marketplace as a taxpayer-subsidized competitor.
No one could compete with them.
Who else could confiscate property for a location "for the public good"?
Who else could deeply discount the rent because it doesn't matter if they make a profit, there are always more tax dollars?
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