$39 mil in public financing to bring Marriott Hotel downtown on the Peoria.com Forums - Page 6

"There ya go. We need top notch, state of the art, modern, up-to-date facilities in downtown Peoria if we are going to be considered as "players". Imagine how embarrassing that would be to have to send our best acts across the river."

I don't disagree with ya JnJ, I just get tired of everytime the museum, library, new hotel, etc. wants to build or expand, my right ass cheek suddenly feels lighter. And no, that isn't a medical issue.

When I started my restaurant it was my own money and all I got from the city was constant run-a-round.

Chef, you are well-informed. Please answer me this... how is it that E. Peoria can do it with few problems and when Peoria attempts significant downtown development we are all like deer in headlights?

No, we don't need top notch, state of the art, modern, up-to-date facilities. We need hometown, artistic, historical, refurbished facilities that speak true to where we came from and that we're proud of our LACK of corporate and media influence.

what is with all this new image crap? and tourism? we're never going to compete with chicago, so who cares? this is home, treat it like home, clean up the damn river.

I would LOVE to see more of this sort of thing in Peoria.

When something’s broken Chef, we try to fix it. We can’t chuck it so repair’s our only option. If all those other attempts failed (have they completely failed, or just slow in producing the desired returns?) then we have to try something new. It’s either that or we all move north. Then where will we be?

No matter what, even if they do bring in top and mid management to run the hotel (my thought is it will only be long enough to train the local talent) those people then become part of our community. Preferably tax paying, productive members of our community. I don’t see how it hurts.

Personally, I don't want a Super Walmart in the Sears block. That's the East Peoria way...

PI... bad boy. I'm just saving you a lecture from Raoul. Did it hurt much?

Well, JNJ, this is could be a very long post.

A blog post of mine from 2 years ago ( http://itjustslaysme.blogspot.com/2006/08/maslows-hi ) for which I feel the context to be true, it mentions issues in Peoria THAT ARE STILL GOING ON TODAY!! TWO YEARS. Why?

Why do I believe East Peoria gets things done? First, I will concede that Peoria is a bigger city and has bigger problems. But one thing I've noticed about EP's development. They pick one project and do it and do it now. No lallygaggin'. No endless debates. No sub committees of sub committees of sub committees to keep beating a dead horse. There are no endless groups of consultants we taxpayers fund and do ?? with their findings. It is "are we going to do this, yes or no. If we are, how and lets get it done now"....not still debating it two years later like in Peoria. Meanwhile, in Peoria, the projects and requests for $$ keep piling up.

Why does Peoria have such a hard time spending an appropriate amount of time (bigger project, more time) making a decision, doing it, calling it a day and moving on? THAT question< I can't answer.

I could go on, but I'm sure I've put everyone to sleep by now.

I don't either, PI, but at LEAST they made a decision, put a time frame on it, got it done and moved on to the next project.

I agree with Chef.  Personally I blame Gary Sandberg

Not sleeping yet Chef… j/k

So basically what your saying here is someone making the decisions needs to get a spine?

Not necessarily. To quote a famous Monty Python line : "Well, get on with it". Lets take this hotel issue. Peoria needs to say: "We need this hotel to "blend" a little more into the downtown "feel". We will commit to the 39 million you want. In return, Peorians and Peoria based businesses will be given 85% of the jobs to build and run this hotel during the length of the bonds issued. You have one month. Yes or no.

Next.

I know this is simplistic version...but...

Or, as I like to occasionally say, "Sh*t or get off the pot."

Test

This is exactly what I've been saying Chef... Make some nice little attorney happy thinking up a few $50 words that say exactly that. See, already someone in our community can benefit. : And scary thought… we agree on something other than you’re a fabulous chef.

Now if we can just beat Crodseth into submission.