Downtown hotel: Reality or part of an ongoing lie to the public?

from: Matt Marquardt <northiowatoday@gmail.com>
to: kuhnatlarge@masoncity.net,
schickelatlarge@masoncity.net
date: Thu, Nov 5, 2015 at 10:58 PM
subject: Marriott

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Did Eric and the Globe and KIMT and the radio lie in 2013 about a hotel development announcement in 2013 or was it all a big misunderstanding?

When are we going to hear from Marriott Hotels that a hotel is actually going to be built in the parking lot west of city hall?

City hall and the globe and kimt and the radio station reported 2 years ago, in October of 2013, that ground would be broken in April of 2014 for a hotel. I’m wondering when an actual, real announcement will be made that is not simply conjecture (or the political shenanigans of Eric Bookmeyer)? We are seeing a real hotel construction project happen right before our eyes very quickly in the Hampton / Clarion site; so there is no reason to doubt a company that sees a potential for profit would not act much more quickly than Marriott is in this case. This downtown hotel deal has taken one form or another since 2013. No word from Marriott after being named in this deal for months – and we have taken out $18.75 million in debt now to go ahead. Will Marriott commit to this project now or will they wait until March?

Thanks for your time.

Matt Marquardt
NorthIowaToday.com / Citizen