I personally contacted the general manager of what would be considered the top 4 hotel/motels in Mason City that rent rooms. The accumulative total of rooms that are available for rent in these locations is 312. One has week day vacancies of 50 to 55 rooms that go unrented at least one or two times a week. One has 5 to 10 rooms…. a night…. every night. Just about all have vacancies every night.
Now the City of Mason city wants to bring unfair competition into the hotel market territory that these taxpaying businesses have invested their own capital into. They have not received subsidies or grant money to the tune Gatehouse will. They have put their own capital on top of the table and turned the lights on and waited for the public to come in. If I were a local hotelier, I would be seeking legal council with the focus on “class action” with multiple hotel operators joined into the suit.
If there were a “hotel survey” done I have never seen the results published. Probably because the results with just 4 of the top brands indicate there is no need for more rooms. As in the case of the one with 50 to 55 empty rooms…..I see the intrusion of a municipal-backed hotel as an act of war. Think….what if it were you that had invested in a lodging business in this community? What would be your course of action? One hotel developer is suing the city now…. will there be more now or will they wait to see if a new hotel is built? Hopefully it will never be built.
Those who want it built say there is nothing here to keep young people from leaving…. is your child going to remain here to change sheets? Get real!
They say those things because they think you’re stupid. As a community you stepped up and defeated the .67 cent measure, and you did it in such a manor there was no mistaking your intention. Bravo! Now do it again. Vote No!!
Today John Skipper traversed a patch of safe ground. He reiterated the political history of former local politicians, it just doesn’t get anymore exciting than that…. in this life we live there are many differences that separate us and define us. These are not necessarily anomalous. Politics draws a wide spectrum of humanity. While we are parked at this
intersection let’s pick two at random mentioned in John’s offering today; Max Weaver & Eric Bookmeyer. While it might be politics that has drawn them together, it is not necessarily what totally defines them. Let’s look at Max first. What are his passions? He’s a professional Picker; travels to various destinations in search of collectibles. Doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke. Now it’s Eric Bookmeyer’s trun; what are his passions? Alcohol. Numbers…. more numbers…. and more numbers. Put these figures in your CAFO’S and smoke them. I want everyone to grab the business section of today’s Sunday paper…. Business Section. The author is Allen Guebert. The title, “Picking up the tab as profits shrink”. While not surprised, the contents of this article will rock your boat. The writer estimates cash that the Department of Agriculture will pay farmers this year for everything from cattle to cauliflower to cat fish will total $366.6 Billion. The all-time record was 2014 when farmers collected $424.2 Billion. He goes on to say Americans spent $1.5 trillion in grocery stores. I suggest you try and pull it up in the Globe website. It’s well worth the read.
I am happy for the farmers, I wish they’d get more. So how much did the rest of the business world get? Oh I forgot…. they didn’t get anything! Years ago there was a government program called “The Soil Bank.” The theory was if you put part of your tillable land into the Soil Bank the government would pay you a fixed amount per acre. This move was supposed to reduce crop production and consequently raise the price of the crop because there was less of it. Sounded good but I don’t know if it worked. I do know there are a lot of violations. Hundreds of thousands of acres of imaginary land was placed in the Soil Bank, land that was just illusionary; make-believe would be a good word.
After all that we still ended up with .10 cent pork and milk that was poured in the ditches. So now we have CAFOs decimating small towns; destroying their way of life. Constant stench. Lord knows what’s going through the ground. I tell you this business is going to be moved south across the border and into Mexico.
Peter Children
Mason City, Iowa
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Ask the pope! He is known for taking a knee – he sure went in hiding since Trump took office. A NWO puppet whose group helped bankroll the Nazi regime during WW2. What a group and acting holy all the time.
Mason City has some property for sale to the taxpayers – Item – Golden Gate Bridge next to the mall – this bridge is historically known for separating 2 of our cities former cultural landmarks of the past – 1. The Blue Ribbon Tap and 2. The Royal Roost Tavern – PS – to the north we had Sam Raizes Clothing Store with it’s Cultural red light atmosphere overhead. EH GAD ! Those were the good old days and Mason WAS booming. Thanks for the memories Pete! We used to sit in the Sam Raises parking lot outback on sat. afternoons and watch the patrons go in and out. – the elites were the most entertaining trying to act like the demorat James Comey coverup. I still get a laugh whenever I picture this part of my childhood. PS – The Park Inn upstairs was Raises prime competitor in this time period. Skating rink ? Want to make some dough – OH WELL – just a thought but I am not going to take a KNEE over it.
The center point of downtown is the beautiful building called the Mall. The people who built it had vision and were well compensated and rightly so. Without the mall what would it be now..a getto. So, what is it that people want to happen to the downtown area. It’s a wonderful built city with lots of potential for prosperity. You need someone to make the first move and the holdouts with money will follow. You need someone with vision. Anything is possible.
I agree with what you said, the building that houses the,mall is a lovely structure, it is not deteriorating. It is extremely well constructed and has a wonderful potential with the right people. The wrong guy owns it, and the wrong people are trying to sell you angel dust. Vote No. This city will is a long way from desperate. These officials want you to think if you don’t vote to approve this armed robbery the mall will fall apart….huge lie!
I have to agree with Peter John on this one!!!Father Joseph, Greek Orthodox hurch
Separation of church & state Father, separation of church and state.
Were you to comment as just Joseph Mirowski that would be fine but you had to throw in the “Father Joseph Greek Orthodox Church” part.
You are right and I am right Peter. Facts and truth are real.
Two things cloud judgement ,money and hate..( Throw In Some Love Affairs) All are working well in this town. Why can’t those folks put that much into logics
I Will Put All My Money On None Of This Is Going To Work. Think Mason City Think!!!!
Another giant cluster f! Unless you get something for everyone just another dud….ah the mall. Biggest dud of the century. So 1200 show up for some silly shit…they probably live 2 to 3 hours max from here, they will probably drive home and save the money. Don’t you? A day in De s Moine or MN you come back..late but you do it. No one any further won’t come here at all. Too late we are not on the map. Some ice won’t suddenly make this place rock. Young people want far more than this to hang…the rest are old now and then what.
Numbers in this town are so wrong anyway…if you think 3000 people show up at the park on Fridays you are absolutely lying and in denial for sure. Wake up !
I like what you said because it was the truth and I just love the truth. You’re right about driving whenever I go to Des Moines or Minneapolis I come home the same day in the winter I don’t go on the road and unless it’s an emergency. What is taking place here in this town with the renaissance festival or whatever they call it is actually a criminal act. These people should be arrested for fraud,making false prophecies with absolutely no guarantees.
is there a bunko squad in this town?
The morning news on KIMT announced two public forms thst will focus on the renaissance project. The information was also posted in today’s Globe. Naturally it is hosted by Jim Jones who be serving you the Kool-Aid. Take my advice and pass on this, think of it this way; our rejection should be seen as a “going away” gift to the Mayor.
“Take my advice and pass on this” -Peter Children
So you want everyone to be uninformed and listen only to you.
You sound just like Eric Bookmeyer
Am I sluring my words?
Feeble deflection there Children, but that is par for you.
By the way, “slurring” is with two r’s…so much for an “award winning” writer.
What a great idea! Let’s all remain ignorant, apathetic, and bitch from our keyboard that nothing good ever happens in MC. Genius!
Your just mad because Peter is straight edged and you and the other dude is not! That’s just tooooooo sweeeeeeeeet!
You’re not “your” and are not vice “is not”.
It is quite apparent as to your ignorance and lack of critical thinking skills…in words that even you can comprehend…you’re a dumbass.
I’ve been sizing up critical thinkers. I know who is straight edged. Your probably sitting at home with some kind of hokey injury.
You are already ignorant and a bitch. Going to this is a waste of time.
That appears to be around an 80% occupancy rate which I think the motel industry considers very good.
The hookers must be doing pretty good.
The ONLY thing that is going to revive Mason City is some quality jobs that our kids may be interested in. Period!
Clear Lake seems to be able to find decent jobs, why cant we?
NO need to build any dream type buildings or programs tell we find away to attract young people back to Mason City
What is holding us back? Three things. The council (the mayor leading that circus), the chamber of “commerce”, and the people who continually think that anything new in this town should cater to EVERYONE. Not everything in this town needs to appeal to everyone. That is a recipe for mediocrity (at best).
Clear Lake is slowly withering away too. The town hasn’t posted a population gain since 1990.
With few exceptions, communities in North Iowa all suffer from the same ailment…A unwillingness to invest in their communities. Luring new employers requires incentives. If North Iowa communities are unwilling to provide them (and most communities around here have shown time and time again that they are unwilling), these employers will simply go to the thousands of other communities across the country that will provide them.
Peter,
So if the new complex in the mall brings in a large convention and there are only 60 rooms left in town are you going to put them up in your home, I DON’T THINK SO! Hopefully there will be enough events to fill your top 4 hotels often. You have to take risks, you have to spend money to make money..Quit being negative! Are you being paid for your articles to NIT? Quit the Bullshit Peter.
Clear Lake….minutes away
As someone who tried to convince a professional organization to bring a conference here, I can tell you Mason city has a dearth of rooms at full-service hotels. A conference needs a restaurant and, yes, a full-service bar.
If your not a crook when you take your political office the resistance to turn down bribes by the wealthy will slowly diminish.and you will become the NORM !
Pete – I swear I saw a farmers kneeling in his field sunday! PS – the bills on farmer cap jokes being curled to stick their head in the mailbox looking for their welfare check is out dated – I was informed while at the Caseys store by about a dozen of them – DIRECT DEPOSIT. They looked at me like I.m too stupid to learn how to get on the gravey train – then they figured out I voted for Trump and had a good laugh.
The subsidy the farmer receives helps to reduce the final cost of food to the consumer ( us) so we all benefit.
The ball cap joke is still funny, and I guess you are to.
Maybe its time for the people who are so loudly blaming city government for everything that ISN’T happening in Mason City to step up and run for City Council! But no, they’d rather complain and
blame the people who are there trying to do their part.
Bullshit
Agreed Peter, it is obviously a Chamber lackey spreading more bullshit!
Good article Peter. I wonder what the haters will say about facts, something they know very little about.
I remember growing up and having a gas station on every corner, and then it was a bar on every corner. How many are left?? now it will be a motel on every corner,, at least for awhile
Exactly, and then we will have another eyesore/building that somebody will have to take care of. We don’t need another empty building, especially in the cultural crescent.
Thank you Allen for the vote of confidence. I kept waiting to read the survey but it never came….doesn’t mean it wasn’t taken. They couldn’t afford to revel the results to the public. These people are without compassion….they are truly demented.
You see, Mr. Children, most people will never do any research on the hotel/motel fiasco, they will just listen to others, and jump on the bandwagon. This town does not need, nor can it support another 100 room hotel/motel. The ones that are here now should be going to the council meetings to defend their businesses. Your post is exactly right.