Interesting to me yesterday was the decision by the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission to provide some corporate welfare from tax proceeds to one hotel/convention center proposal but not to one proposed by Arkansas State University for the campus, you’d think an influential player in Jonesboro politics.
KAIT has all the details of that decision. ASU issued a statement of disappointment by Chancellor Tim Hudson.
We are very disappointed by the Jonesboro A&P Commission’s decision today. The public-private partnership between Arkansas State and O’Reilly Hospitality Management will bring an upper-upscale hotel and convention center to our community at an ideal location. The cooperative effort of the city’s second-largest employer and home to 13,000 students and an experienced developer of hospitality venues throughout the U.S. is significant for Jonesboro and the region. It will allow A-State to establish a new academic program and enhance student recruitment. We are grateful to the city’s medical centers and businesses who have expressed support for our partnership. We look forward to continuing our plans with O’Reilly and will always focus on what is best for our students, who clearly understand the value of this project for our campus.