MASON CITY – There is a stunning new development with Mason City’s downtown Renaissance Project: It will be Philip Chodur’s G8 versus David Rachie’s Gatehouse in a 3-hour bid-off Monday morning at city hall to choose the all-important hotel developer.
In a deal that seems to never stop changing, Mason City has pursued the downtown Renaissance Project for years. Even as voters approved millions in General Obligation bonds to finance the project, it is still morphing; plans for the hotel were only recently submitted by the developer of choice – Gatehouse. The latest development is a last-ditch attempt in the final hours of bid acceptance from Philip Chodur’s G8 Development. Mr. Chodur – who has a lawsuit against the city and Robin Anderson for alleged meddling in the deal – has submitted a proposal just as the bidding process was coming to a close. Months ago, the city selected David Rachie’s Gatehouse Mason City, LLC as the developer of choice. The city then re-opened the bidding. Now, Mr. Chodur is back.
As explained to NIT by a council member Wednesday morning, a three-hour bidding process will open Monday morning at 9 AM at city hall. Noon is the bidding deadline. City staff will hear proposals from Rachie’s Gatehouse and Mr. Chodur’s G8. Back and forth city staff will go. Final proposals will then be considered by city staff. A recommendation for the best proposal will then be made to the city council. At a hastily-arranged meeting set for 7 PM that same Monday night, November 27, the council will be presented with staff’s recommendation and then vote on the proposal of choice.
“We will have a bid off on Monday. The final results of that bid off will be compared, and a recommendation will be given to City Council. As with all recommendations, City Council can accept or decline the recommendation and go with the other bidder. That will take place Monday night,” said acting City Administrator Kevin E. Jacobson.
That choice will be the developer of the hotel component in the Renaissance Project – which includes a skywalk, museum, convention center, pavilion, and multi-use arena.
More to come.
Now the Globe twitter feed says G8’s plan was approved 5-0. ?????
5-0-1. John Lee abstained. The King of the “yes” crowd wouldn’t vote YES when the project hung in the balance.
Is it safe to assume that the present G8 bid is a lot safer for the MC taxpayers? The only reason I am paying attention to MC business is I might be moving to MC.
G8 plan defeated 4-2 by Council.
Next up is gatehouse vote.
Outside opinion: Both should lose.
Interim City Admin just recommended Chodur’s plan. Currently under discussion. IF Chodur can get it built, the city probably wouldn’t get taken as bad compared to the other option. Of course it could wind up not getting built at all.
Hehe haha – those yes voters got took!
Sounds like a no-win situation.
Gatehouse’s proposal wants big bucks up front. Who does that?
Chodur couldn’t scrounge up funding the last time. Can he this time?
Looks like a no win situation.
One can’t scrounge up funding.
Another wants big bucks up front.
Good cop Bad cop BS – Making U believe U got a gooood deal between the 2 corporations taking your cities general fund money (property tax receipts) that is used for municipal purposes (street repair) and also goes towards schools/education expenses – oh well! same old chit just a different day –
Luke Skywalker found dead in a cat house.
Really – we have what is known as the Fat Cat Walk in casino county. Plump suppervisors.
Glad I voted NO NO NO NO. It will happen but how many law suits and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$will be spent? I bet 4 years before we see a waiting line to get into the new hockey arena.
Boy, am I ever confused!
I thought with the vote a few weeks ago it was a done deal, set in stone, nothing can be changed. Needed to cross the T’s and hash line the Q’s so the state will hand over the money before their offer expires as we we already were on an extension.
Now the whole scope of the project might change as they decide which developer has the better plan. Didn’t we just go through this within the last year or so? Are we going back to square 1?
If I was Gatehouse I would walk away and say “good riddance” due to the lack of “good faith” for what was thought to be a done deal by this city council.
As a side note, has anyone else notice no high level (or even mid-level) hotel executives have showed up or even commented on how excited they are to have their brand of hotel in Mason City. Maybe they know something we don’t?
Gatehouse walk away? They’re the ones that made changes to their original bid which set the stage for a competing bid to be placed. This is entirely Gatehouse’s fault that the bidding process had to be reopened by state law. It is a very good thing for the city because now we can get in even better deal.
does the catwalk go to the cat house??
Actually, it’s called a skywalk. A catwalk is a little structure above a stage or other area for technicians to crawl around on.
It’s a Catwalk!
If it is indeed a sky walk then this implies you will be able to see sky. Being so close to the ground would then mean a glass ceiling. And I’m sure the pigeons will have something to say about that. Perhaps some over the top fashion shows at the new convention center will provide ample time to strut their stuff across across this catwalk. lol
sky·walk
ˈskīˌwôk/Submit
noun
noun: skywalk; plural noun: skywalks
an enclosed overhead walkway between buildings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyway
No one cares, nerd!
Gatehouse brought this on themselves. If Gatehouse would not have insisted they make changes to their original bid. Changes that benefited themselves then the bidding process would have not had to be reopened for 30 days and G8 would not have had the opportunity to resubmit a bid.
I think it is great and gives the city the opportunity to get a better deal for the citizens.
Yep. They need a good scare, and they’re going to get one. Some competition is what this deal has needed all along.
What are they going to do if Chodur comes in with the low bid? They almost have to take it. What about all the money they have already given to Gateway? What about all the money they have already spent on the project? Now they are going to have a real cluster “F”. They should all be run out of town for incompetence.
He’s looking for grounds for another lawsuit.
I wish they could hurry up this process. I am eager for the city to reap the benefits. Does anyone remember all the people that moved to Mason City when we built the first ice arena and then the Holiday Inn Express. Eager with anticipation.
Yep, they will all be falling all over themselves with laughter.
no
Here in Worthless county I wonder if we will get to even vote on the gas pipeline project to where? that’s worth county 26 million share/Mitchell county 34 millionshare of taxpayer money for this mystery pipeline to what – CAFO’s – The county supervisors should get pocket plump from this theft of our hard earned money – If we are wrong please tell us how this will benefit us personally as I don’t own Alliant Energy or a cafo ? PS Don’t want to here the old JOB creation ploy – that’s short for free money to big corporations. – That figure is known as $1,000,000 for every job created paid for by local property owners.
This comment belongs in the whiners den, as it has nothing to do with this article. This guy is finally losing it.
Just so long as they build that catwalk. lol
Catwalk, is a great idea.
For what? It will hardly get used.
There have been concerns about the safety of people who park in the Southbridge lot, and walk across the street to events at Music Man Square, so this is to remedy that. The thought is that hotel guests, in town to attend events at the Square, will use it. We’ve all seen how traffic whizzes by on that stretch of Delaware.
That;s why they make stoplights. They are a lot cheaper if you know how to read them.