1. Evans Hotels was recently granted an extension to the lease of the Bahia Resort land on Mission Bay for another 21 years under circumstances that call into question the real motives of the council. Andrew Keatts at VOSD has the story. The $75,000 annual payment doesn't seem like much for such a choice location, but I am no expert. I really distrust any "public-private" venture. Rich business interests can easily use influence and donations to get good deals that wouldn't be available in a free market where another private party owned the land. I would like to see the city sell the land at auction and use the money to make up pension shortfalls.
2. Dave Maass seems to have taken a particular dislike to Doug Manchester, local financier famous for developing the Manchester Hyatt downtown, ever since Manchester purchased the U-T. Most recently Maass reported that Manchester's company's admitted to violating FCC regulation on cell phone boosters. I have responsibility for cell phone contracts where I work, so I can understand Manchester's frustrations with coverage. But we successfully worked with a vendor to fix the problem, we never considered taking matters into our own hands, even though we had access to technology to do so. But Maass seems really intent on making Manchester look bad, so I wonder where that animus comes from.
3. I previously posted about Filner's illegal attempt to repurpose hotel tax revenue for "public safety." The tax was approved by the city council prior to Filner's inauguration, another 39 years, to be specific. It is highly unlikely that the new mayor could make such a change now, according to the VOSD, because of the restrictions on fees that can be passed without a public vote.
Why do hotels attract attention, political and otherwise in San Diego? I guess, because that's where the money is.
Manchester was big supporter of Prop. 8. End of story.
ReplyDeleteDean