Fayetteville's very own "Big Dig"
nteresting quote in the Northwest Arkansas Times today from John Nock, of Nock and Company, concerning the fact that September is right around the corner, and the much-anticipated (well, somebody anticipated it, I’m sure) hotel just off the square has yet to be built.
To date, all we have is a very lovely hole in the ground, and a huge crane, which reminds some of the crane in “Five Million Years to Earth.”
Come September. The city will be owed $834.73 for every day that there ain’t a hotel on the site.
Comrade Nock told a Times reporter last week that, if pressed for it, the developers will pay if the council insists. But he also added that he didn’t “know if the city is looking for money as much as a change in the skyline.”
It would be a serious mistake if the city council let these guys off the hook financially, given what some see as their too cozy relationship with Dan Coody. Some may recall that in an interview with the Little Rock Free Press about a year ago, Paula Marinoni referred to them as the “golden boys.”
Let’s avoid even the appearance of “Good Old Boy” politics.
Start writing those checks, boys.
Comments
Unlike Aspen Ridge, where wonderful, functioning habitat for human beings and wildlife was destroyed starting four years ago and a huge town-house development approved 2.5 years ago, this plan destroyed some buildings that needed remodeling and repair but people and wild things weren't getting a lot of use out of the part of the acreage.
And the infrastructure for the new hotel isn't yet in place. Therefore, something else could be built there.
How about a state-of-the-art bus terminal for a 24-7 publicly subsidized bus service that would go a long way toward easing traffic and pollution and help bring life in Northwest Arkansas back to a tolerable pace?
How about a state-of-the-art homeless shelter? Homeless people were occasionally removed from the abandoned buildings onsite for years; but they likely would consent to use the fancy new place if one of our traditional cold winters occurs.
How about the parking garage that officials keep talking about? This site is mostly ready for that and approved for a height that would hold many cars!
How about all three in one place? The commuters, grateful for a park-and-ride spot downtown, likely would be happy to hand out some change to the homeless qued up at the shelter's cafeteria and help the helpless pay some sales tax in Fayetteville while the commuters are spending the day racking up big bucks in Bentonville or wherever the hot jobs are by the time the imaginary system is in place.
There is no reason to finish the hotel.
Just put a monument to bad judgment there and hire some more gardeners to put and take flowers and buy some more Christmas lights.
By the way, will all the previous years' white and last year's colorful lights be available for sale to the public? If not, they could be a permanent part of the monument.
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August 20, 2007 10:11 AM