Scott’s Blog Experience

I firmly believe in the expansion and development of Peoria. However, building a new “upscale” hotel should not be one of them. Last nights meeting should have been a wake up call to the City Council when more that half of the hotel owners and even a few developers didn’t really sound like it would play in Peoria.

“So far, only one developer - George Johnson of Springfield - has made a proposal. He’s willing to build either a small, limited-service hotel, perhaps a Hampton Inn like he already owns, or a larger, upscale franchise Hilton, which would require some public subsidy”….more

That harldy sounds like Developers are breaking the door down to build a upscale hotel. A Hampton Inn? Yea, I’ve stayed at those plenty, upscale would not be the word I would use to describe upscale.

“If anyone thinks we’re making money, get out your checkbook right now because I bet any one of us will sell you our interest right now,” said Frank Pedulla, owner of the Radisson Hotel Peoria, formerly Jumer’s Castle Lodge. “Let’s get off the hotel idea. Let’s talk about marketing. Let’s start thinking about how we’re going to fill this white elephant - and that could happen, it could become a white elephant….more

This makes sense. Has anybody looked into the Riverplex? Is that making money? NO

Here we are again at the crossroads of development or fixing sidewalks. I think the Peoria City Council needs to heed the words of the businesses here already existing, let’s support them.

Ron Samples the owner of the Hotel Pere Marquette, had the best suggestion of the night. He suggested the city do something much more cost-effective: connect the Pere Marquette to the Civic Center via an elevated walkway. Three years ago, such a plan would have cost about $3 million.

What a creative idea…Oh wait, we live in Peoria, creativity is not one of our strong suits.