Comments on: G-BAD Losing Streak Intact

By: Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:03:10 +0000

Many give the airlines 3 years before they all go bankrupt and most air travel ceases to exist.

Oil prices will start to climb again soon since the speculative froth has been removed, and ‘Peak Oil’ will make the long term outlook for any sort of mechanized travel bleak.

Maybe we could go ahead with the new ‘convention center’ and just equip it to handle the masses of homeless, jobless people that will be created in the coming months.

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:15:37 +0000

How about an underground convention center, resort and planned community with the entrance at the hole/BOISE PIT at 8th and Main?

One of the National or International Car Shows in Boise would be excellent! Many beautiful cars and women under one roof or in one area!

By: Gordon

Gordon — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:18:30 +0000

Well, despite all you cynics and nay-sayers, I know there are thousands of people all over the world right now planning their next big connections for whenever their economic situation improves a bit.
I can hear the moderators of meetings saying, “OK, sales are up, profits are up, and we’ve just received corporate board-level approval for a convention, and we can go anywhere we want to.
“For example, we could go to Las Vegas, Nevada, or Atlantic City, New Jersey, or Honolulu, Hawaii, or Boise, Idaho, or …(Interrupted by shouts of “Boise, Boise, we want to go to Boise; you don’t need to list any more, we want to go to Boise, Boise, Boise!)

Honest. I can actually hear them.
Of course, I also can hear Santa chewing out his elves for not working fast enough, and the Tooth Fairy saying, “What the hell am I supposed to do with all these old teeth I’ve collected?” and Jesus saying to his Dad, “Well, Allah, your peace earth plans didn’t work out too well, did they? So now what — and if you think I’m going back down there to try again, forget it.”

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go feed the Easter bunny.

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:26:51 +0000

John Q Hammonds was also the original developer for the downtown hotel. Instead the Grove Hotel was constructed by West Coast Hotels (?). I remember Hammonds dithering back then, is he in, is he out – always asking for yet another concession.

It’s not surprising that this hotel is on hold as well.

By: dog

dog — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:19:48 +0000

G-Bad should first get prostitution legalized in Boise or at least de-criminalized. They would have a better case for building a convention center.Our hotels would fill up fast. Oh,and to compete with Portland OR convention center, get full on nudie strip clubs that serve alcohol leaglized. I don’t see the family values conventioneers knocking Boise doors down.

By: Mr. Logic

Mr. Logic — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:55:45 +0000

Cynic–
On the first G-BAD bond election, they didn’t get even a simple majority. When they did the illegal campaign funding with tax dollars they got a majority, but not the constitutionally mandated 2/3.

In defense of the Guardian, the super majority is a very LOGICAL requirement because if at first they don’t succeed, they can try try again. Once it passes, there is no opportunity to repeal a bond. That’s why it is SUPPOSED to be difficult to pass.

The dis information in the Statesman is a good example of WHY safeguards like a 2/3 are needed.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:40:49 +0000

Cynic, why does that matter? Under current election laws, more people didn’t want the issue to pass than wanted it to pass.
If the Center On the Grove was filled to capacity and couldn’t accept any more meetings/conventions/parties/activities, that would make a stronger case for the new convention center. However, that isn’t the case. Local hotel owners are screaming we are overbuilt relative to hotel rooms. Have you ever noticed why there is a “slug” of new hotels just west of Eagle? You think it may be to avoid the Boise City Hotel Tax? How many more activities could be attracted to Boise if the Grove made their rates more “realistic”? How many more would be attracted if the CCDC started offering “partnership” deals with the Grove? What about utilizing the current hotel owners rather than just giving someone a “list”? How many members of the DBA would benefit from “catering” a little more to convention attendees, as opposed to the “here comes the cruise ship” mentality they have now. When there is NOTHING additional that can be done to utilize the existing convention facilities, THEN come to the voters! Until that time, roll up your sleeves down there in the “convention centerland of Boise” and get to work!!

By: Investor Spots the Lie.

Investor Spots the Lie. — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:10:21 +0000

Hammons is probably suffering Hole-In-Wallet Syndrome.

As the daily pointed out, the existing hotels are suffering from too many competitors chasing to few customers. Not exactly the time to be dishing out millions of bucks in an out of the way market in the middle of a recession.

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:47:34 +0000

“…Voters have twice turned down bond proposals…”

You mean voters have failed to meet super-majority requirements, don’t you?

By: Warren Tyler

Warren Tyler — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:06:18 +0000

Not only is demand down but travel down, which means attracting outsiders to Idaho conventions will be touch. Don’t belive me? Here is a note from the equity firm Kauffman Brothers: “Yesterday after the close American Express, the world’s largest business travel agent, reported a significant slowdown in business travel volume, a view echoed by the 2nd-largest agent Carlson Wagonlit and confirmed by a recent survey of corporate travel buyers. “