An opportunity to meet with Omni representatives:
This is an opportunity for citizens to have input into the process. So, if you want more high with mixed-use (like Louisville), more color (like Dallas) and more rooms (like Nashville); this is your opportunity to provide input.
OKC's investment (thru subsidies) will dictate what kind of hotel we will get. Will the new conference hotel benefit other hotels in the core?The assistance requested by Omni represents 36 percent of the cost, compared to the 39 percent provided by the city for the redevelopment of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel. Public participation in similar convention-tier cities includes 47 percent for the Omni Nashville, 43 percent for the Omni Fort Worth and 40 percent for the Omni Louisville.
How much will adding height & more rooms and a residential piece to the new hotel cost in subsidies; will Omni match the City dollar for dollar or will that 36% proportion remain the same?Designs are another major consideration in the upcoming negotiations...
...Andrew Casperson, vice president of Omni, cautioned against looking at any other Omni hotels for a hint at the ultimate design for the Oklahoma City Omni.
“We refuse to treat a building as a one-size-fits-all solution,” Casperson said. “When we get to creating a hotel, this hotel will be the focal point of the city in the design, decor, culinary experience. We will make it reflective of the city we will be part of.
OKCTalk has been on top of the convention center & hotel concerns.O'Connor has tracked and tried to learn from hotel deals elsewhere, and concludes one mistake not being repeated by Oklahoma City is the decision by Baltimore to build and own the hotel. That “public option” was presented with the Marcus bid — but was rejected early on by city council members.
OKC has expressed that we do not wish to own a hotel; they are aware of Baltimore's miscalculation.
Let's have a good turnout for these meetings.
Bookmarks