From an anonymous NIT reader:
(In response to Historic Park Inn operator Steve Noto’s statements about the financial performance of the hotel and its contributions to Mason City’s economy.)
I suppose you will be doing an Editorial soon praising the performance of the Hotel as the Globe just did.
10,000 guests sleep in the place the first tweleve months from all states but one. Nice. Claim via
loose estimates that they spent a million dollars in MC while here outside of the Hotel. Wow.
If the ten thousand were all single registrations the whole 27 rooms were full every night on the year.
100% occupancy!! Since no exact figures were provided you can do the math anyway it looks the best.
Since no Rev. Per ava. Room (RevPar) facts were provided you get a broad statement that it is or will be in the black
at the end of the fiscal year on it’s operating cost vs revenues. Nice. Especially for the MC Chamber of Commerce.
$1M divided by 365 days is $2,739.73 per day into the MC economy. Probably less than a surgeon makes at Mercy in an hour
for a serious operation. How many serious operations are there at Mercy every year?
The Five Star Rest. perf. not spoken of. Probably because there is no Five Star rest. operation as first claimed in adv. when first open.
In fact from what appears to be, there is no breakfast, lunch, dinner 7 day a week on site operating resturant. No exact
report given on just what exists for order from a menue for room service, during what hours of the day.
Specific financial facts on the first year performance were few, far less than in the media on the perf. of high end hotels/motels in
major tourist markets. But for the Globe it’s all great.
Yes, exactly right. Mason City looks more and more like appalachia.
If you want to spend tax money, there are way more beneficial ways than on the downtown chamber crowd.
“Are you the guy that has made 50% of the reports on the city’s new “nark on your neighbor’s tall grass” app? Observer, you seem to be in support of most things the city is doing?”
Au Contraire! Take the time to read a lot of my comments, many do criticize things our City does.
My purpose is to support and grow Mason City using basic, common sense ideas, which will aid in selling Mason City to outsiders.
Three years ago, I took a hundred photos of properties in the town, and distributed them to folks I knew, with the simple question: “Will a town looking like this grow?” It included downtown, and all segments of the city.
Comments included, “is that Gary, IN?!?”. The overall consensus was, the only thing that would grow in Mason City was weeds. They were impressed with Park Inn, and a few other places. They were not impressed with businesses that had trees and weeds growing next to the building, or the business that had so many weeds growing on the sidewalk, you could not see the concrete. Crumbling facades, peeling paint, broken windows in the downtown area. Blighted city properties. The wonderful Music Man Square, who allow weeds to grow in the stairs, planters, and sidewalks. The Library, prior to refurbishing that had a hay field better than some farmers (that drew a lot of apprehension). And of course Dodge House.
They also saw Community National’s branch downtown, Stockman House, the folks on N. Penn near 12th, and all other sorts of well kept properties.
Then came the questions, where was the City in all this? Do they not have ordinances or standards? Do they even inspect properties? A gent form Boston asked, “Does the city really even care what it looks like?” I asked him privately, would he invest in such a town? His answer was simple, NO!
This kind of commentary is not new, I have written about it for quite some time. I have also written a small paper about how to fix it. It aint hard, but it takes everyone in the community to take ownership.
It boils down to this. Either you are completely happy with Mason City, and are delighted in how we look, or we can become a community where people from outside will want to invest in and create decent jobs. It’s your paradigm.
” I still need someone to PROVE to me how this injects revenue into Mason City, Iowa?”
Then I will repeat my post from the other article.
“I am not sure about you, but it is not outside the realm of possibility to spend $100 aside from my room while traveling. In Baltimore it was closer to $150 a day. In NYC it was about the same.
Three meals for example is darned close to $60 if you go on the cheap (Denny’s, Perkins, or some other no-name genaric dive like it ). However, why do the same old, when you are around ethnic or fine food (read; things that cannot be found in Mason City, which is a lot of things)? That is what travel is all about. So realisically, $90 – 100 a day for food is more like it (You aint gonna walk into Shula’s in Baltimore and order a grilled cheese sammich! – Same goes for Neptune Oyster in Boston).
If I am with a group, which 90% of my travel has been, there are events, car rental, gasoline, incidentals.
Sure we don’t have the same class of resturants as out east or in Canada, but there are some decent places where $40 per person is the norm. Who would leave Mason City without visiting Northwester Steak House? No one I know.”
I even included the same typos! But don’t take my word for it, call up a travel agent and ask them.
I’m curious as to what your answer to “Another Anonymous” and “happy to remain anonymous” will be. Seems like a justified question in my humble opinion…
Matt,
I read one of your editorials in which you were upset that the YMCA ignored several of your requests for answers and yet here you are, ignoring 2 of your readers requests for an answer to their questions. Does that make you a hypocrite?
P.S. I don’t expect an answer to that last question considering your previous record on this thread…
Those other “two people” are you, using fake names. I owe you zero. Appreciate the visits to NIT though.
Well you’re wrong. However, I do happen to know who one of those readers are.
Got any other attempts to dodge the question up your sleeve?
Good Luck, waiting.
Here is what most folks don’t understand. For example, let say you work at Hy-Vee. What if Frank Lloyd had built a grocery store, instead of a hotel? Replace any brick and mortar business instead of Hy-Vee, the analogy still works. Now, how would YOU feel if you had to complete with a business that was subsidized with tax payer funded? Just wouldn’t be fair, would it? It’s just not right. You can’t argue that. During the Fall, Winer, and Spring, the FLW Hotel just does not do that much business. From what I am told by employees who work, and have worked there, it is more like 5 – 10 guests a night. You just can’t make money on that. The hotel charges premium rates, yet has no complimentary breakfast, pool/jacuzzi, fitness room, and the parking is IN THE STREET! No kdding. There are two bars on the street that get loud very late at night (even into the AM) and occassionally in the morning. Guests complain constantly that. Guests may come once to see it, but honestly, why would they go back? I still need someone to PROVE to me how this injects revenue into Mason City, Iowa? Any amount that really makes a difference, anyway. Mostly, all this hotel does is take business away from the other hotels in the area, the ones that investors invested their OWN money in without help from the tax payers, the REAL business people who have a STAKE in the business and the community. What about them? What if that were YOU? I would also like to address the Trip Advisor comments, that the FLW hotel is number 1 in Mason City. I was informed that around the time the FLW opened, they had their EMPLOYEES do these comments. Take a look yourself and decide. Hmmmm. All those comments, and they have only been open for a very short time. Other hotels in the area have been open for 12 – 40+ years, and don’t have that many comments, and all of them are excellent? Just can’t be done, if you are honest about it. Not very ethical way to run a business. River City is being sold snake oil.
if you think other hotel/motels in the area, cant compete with the park inns 120.00 rates your crazy. BTW didnt the Harley shop get some sort of gov money (tif)about a year ago? there are many other buisness that get gov money to get started or to stay in buisness around iowa. just because you didnt state it in your blog doesnt mean they dont exist. there is alot of that bullshit going on in government. some people dont know and others dont care, but still, just because it isnt published on a regular basis doesnt mean it doesnt happen
I am one of those history buffs that has visited the motel. I have also visited a Frank Lloyd Wright home in wisconsin. we also have one of his designed homes here in Ackley. I along with many others, I would assume, have taken the time to visit the motel without spending a night at the motel. but I did spend money in your town. it is a positive move by the city to help preserve the past and this type of architecture. If I have to explain it any more, then you “JUST DONT GET IT”. who cares how much money they made. this building will be here for a long time and NOT just a passing fad like some buisnesses. like another poster commented. many here need to look at their own front yard or building and take care of themselves first. its to bad that the park inn is on the “north side”. but to quote a famous saying “little strokes fell great oaks”. you have to start somewhere soooooooooo “GET OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING AND QUIT BITCHING ALL THE TIME DAMNIT”
The hotel address is 15 West State Street. Seeing as how the hotel sits on the SOUTH side of state street, that would mean it is on the South End to be exact. Just thought you may want to know that. Carry on.
I stand corrected then. I only assumed that anything north of highway 18 was considered north. while anything south of 18 was south side. my bad
Lol. Don’t worry about it. It was meant to be a funny for those that are so critical on where the North End starts and where it doesn’t. Technically it IS State Street but everyone’s so sensive about it these days. Damn North End anyway. Lol. Take care.
well then it seems to me that if you can see the north end from the park inn, then your too close for comfort. Im currently at the Missouri farm progress show in Mt Pleasant Iowa. like I always say 50 miles from Missouri, still considered Missouri. . where you still have to be married to own sheep and all. they still talk about the study done years ago about giving the lower 2 tiers of iowa counties to Missouri. they found out it would raise the IQ of both states. true story. auctions are good down here as well as the liquor
I think first, one has to take into consideration that Steve’s company does not have title to the building. Wright on the Park owns it, and hires Mr. Noto to operate it. After all the bills are paid, including it’s indebtedness to Wright on the Park, it could balance books.
Next, I went back through the original article on Mr. Noto’s comments, along with the video. While his presentation was lacking for detail, I did not hear or read that his $1 million statement was in relation to what the hotel took in, but the impact it’s customers had in the community.
In the original article, my comment laid out the expectation for a person or persons spending $100 or more a day in the area, exclusive of the room. It’s quite reasonable. I also realize that in traveling, one can cheap it down to $80 a day including room. But when one makes the decision to stay at such a venue as the Park Inn, one tends not to be spartan.
As far as accountability, I believe that Wright on the Park has that role, since they are the organization who hold title, and performed the restoration, thus, spent taxpayers (and private) funds. Steve’s company is merely a contractor.
I drive by the park inn nearly every day after work. FLW Way is always full of cars with license plates from across the country. Every time we have visited the bar at the HPI we’ve met and talked to people from all over the country and the world. We chatted with some Canadians and Australians a few weeks ago. People are visiting.
Also, what start up business do you know that has made money it’s first year in operation? As word continues to get out how wonderful this is, business will continue to grow. Restoration of the park inn is the best thing that’s happened to MC in a long time. Embrace it people. It’s your last hope at MC being a growing community versus a dying community.
“It’s your last hope at MC being a growing community versus a dying community.”
I will disagree to the extent that one person, one organization, one entity can be the difference between success and failure. Success depends on attitudes, backed by actions. What good does a nice thing like the Park Inn do if the majority of the community looks shabby and shopworn?
I don’t expect that local citizens here, many of them anyway, want nice things. Not when 2 foot tall or better of weeds dominate their own landscape. Or they toss garbage from their property into the street for others to clean up. Or, they don’t even bother to take care of it at all!
Unless there is enforcement by the Leadership, blight such as this will continue, and so will the communities status drift further behind.
Ahh, so now it comes out, Observer. Are you the guy that has made 50% of the reports on the city’s new “nark on your neighbor’s tall grass” app? Observer, you seem to be in support of most things the city is doing? Makes me wonder… hmmmm
The math is very easy. 27 rooms at 365 days in the year=9855 rooms @ $100.00 p/room= $985,500.00. If every room was rented every day of the year that’s how mych revenue they would have developed. Obviously, that didn’t happen so his number are way off or he is overly optimistic on how much they realy brought in. I think he is a out and out lier. The numbers do not add up. Just think if we had invested all those tax dollars in the rest of the community what we ALL could of had instead of the special people in the town. The have’s get it all and the taxpayers just pay for it. Now we get to pay for some hidious statues on top of that.
Well said, couldnt agree more. I just wish more people would pull their heads out and embrace it.
Matt
You should of just put Max Weavers name down as the author of this article. People have seen him coming and going from your house. So Matt why try to hide it? Come out and admit it.
I have a healthy skepticism about the financial performance of the Park Inn. I do not see the crowds at the hotel or businesses near the hotel.
If public funds were not involved , I would not care.
Mason City is full of these financially lucrative projects that are only lucrative with the inclusion of taxpayer dollars.
CM…Back in 1993 my heart surgeon made $8,000 for a 3 hour open heart operation. Does that add up? Don’t be stupid, surgeons don’t work everyday…and yes, some of them do make more than $1 million a year…including that back doctor at Mercy.
I realize that there are history buffs that are interested in things like the hotel being restored, but lets be realistic. People are not flocking here by the bus loads to see it. There is no way they could be in the black after the first year of being open. Someone is getting carried away with that statement. They think people will flock down town and move back downtown and that is a figment of their imagination. And what is the art going to add to the mix? Is this going to make people flock down town and come by the bus load? Oh, and I must be missing something, but how does that bring jobs to Mason City so people can continue to live here and support families??????????????????
Also did the article say the debt was paid by hotel revenue and not private donations and other sources. Theres a big difference to claim this based strictly on revenue. I drove by many times early in the morning last winter and saw few cars.
We drove past the plaza Sat 25th around 9pm. Completely dark The Quarry was not open no people.If the hotel is so busy why was the entire block dark except for Lorados and that is locals?
I guess the plaza was dark except for Lorados because the 1910 Lounge is not located on the plaza! I myself was in the hotel bar on the 25th. It was packed, you could barely move!
I would like to put faith in the hotel out of respect for the huge effort Ann McGregor and others put into this project ( which is far less than I have for Noto after the infamous not in my neighborhood creek incident ) so a simple solution would be to put out some concrete facts. It was taxpayer dollars in use.
A summary of another anonymous continued attacks on this website proves he just another bent over cronie in a long line of the beermans wanabee list. Great job Matt for providing a voice to the rest of the public who can’t be fooled by the fools.
Also – to the comment within the article about how much a surgeon at Mercy makes an hour… lets just examine that quote for a minute. Using your figures… a surgeon (if only performing paid for performing surgeries 2 hours a day) would make over 10 million a year! Before you start throwing out numbers or criticizing others-get your facts straight.
Most investments take years to turn a profit. The fact that the hotel has been as successful as it has is a great sign of it’s future potential both within it’s own operations and to the community. It will always be extremely difficult to measure how the much revenue the hotel actually brings in to neighboring businesses. There are so many other factors like the current economy and seasonality. I truly enjoy the well-needed ‘touch’ the hotel and downtown remodeling have added to our town. It was definitely a step in the right direction.
Little hard to decipher this article. Hmmmm. But the thing I find most curious about this is that it was written by an anonymous author. Curious since Matt slams bloggers who don’t agree with him by claiming they don’t have the guts to use their real name. He has done that over & over again but then turns around & allows articles such as this written by anonymous authors. What gives, Matt? Why the double standard?????
I allow anonymous people like you to post here all day, why not post something like this anonymously? As a matter of fact, the reader didn’t ask for it to be posted, I just went ahead and did it, because I know the contributor to be extremely smart and connected. By the way, why are you talking about guts, are you still looking for yours?
And yet you only take shots at the anonymous “bloggers” you don’t agree with and are more then willing to sit quiet when an anonymous blogger agrees with you. why are the ones who don’t agree with you gutless and the ones who do agree with you not?
Matt, please answer the question about your double standard. Why are those who disagree with you subject to your comments about not having the guts to post their real names but not those who agree with you. You allow their name-calling, profanity, & disgusting language without them using their names. And printing anonymous articles. Hypocritical.
The best part though, is an editor getting in p#*sing matches with bloggers. How professional is that!!!!!!!!!
To another anonymous:
You won’t get an answer from Matt because you have him trapped and cornered by his own words and actions. For him to admit (like a man) what you say, he would have to eat crow. And that he cannot do!
You people are foolish. The hotel is a landmark, but you would have to have some sort of education to understand that….
Oh absolutely it’s a landmark. Who said it wasn’t Mr. Educated? What we are saying is this landmark DID NOT do 1 million on the books. If it did…PROVE IT.
It is a private business, he doesn’t have to prove anything. I bet you probably don’t go around discussing all of your private finances.
They took public money. They owe the public explanations.
EXACLY. Thank you Matt. Had they NOT took our money, I could care less about it.
I do not think that is grammatically correct. I think it shoulde say,”Had they NOT tookEN our money.”
Steve Noto is a liar and a fraud. Prove your claim Steve by factual data…IF you can. But you won’t because you can’t. You know you’re lying and so do the rest of us.
My Voice…you hit the nail on the head. Stevie N. is a liar. He has lied to me personally on several occassions. You can’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth.
I have always contended that is little more than smoke and mirrors. The hotel is without a doubt a very large draw for this city, in real terms it probably brought more than a million in tourist dollars, but not through in house cash ring ups…the math just dpes not work.