Comments on: G-BAD Election Is About Spending Room Taxes

By: Paden

Paden — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:28:11 +0000

My friends, the reason every city wants a convention center is the economic impact it has on its community. I believe BSU did and impact study a year or two ago and found that the Centre on the Grove produced over $50 million that year. The Grove, as I understand it, is one of the few center in the US that makes a profit. Sadly, the election issue isn’t about any of that. It’s about too many misguided individuals wanting to break the law and give money to the corrupt visitors bureau, and they openly admit it. It will never, ever happen without the legislature changing laws. It’s absolutely pathetic.

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:40:39 +0000

Nan emouse:

2 to 3 hour drive without splitting hairs, nearly 1 million

Boise Nampa metro 600,000
Baker County 16,000
TF County 65,000
Blaine 19,000
Elmore 30,000
Valley 8,000
Gooding 15,000
Jerome 18,000
Payette 20,000

5 to 6 hour drive:

To the east: 2 million

SLC 1.2 million
Ogden Clearfield 540,000
Logan County 50,000
Bonneville County 100,000
Bannock County 75,000

To the west: 2.4 million

Tri- Cities 250,000
Umatilla County 70,000
Portland Metro 2,200,000

Others:

Yakima County 250,000
Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow Pullman 100,000

I’ve made it to SLC in 5 hours. 70 x 5 = 350. I’ve made it to Moscow in 5 hours. I’ve made it to PDX in 6 hours.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 03:14:01 +0000

boisecyinc, I’ll bet you probably think if we just had that dang ol train to nowhere for only $60MM and the shiny new convention center then folks from all over would just flock to Boise to marvel at it all.

You need to get out of town once in a while to see what the rest of the world has to offer for conventioneers. Boise wouldn’t make the top 20 places for a serious convention. Don’t get me wrong I love living here but I have done my share of world travel and Boise is not a destination resort or fun city by any stretch of the imagination.

It’s a great place to live and if you build it they won’t come. Take a good look at the Idaho Center. Dead time in that place is costing Nampa property taxpayers a bundle. Let’s quit playing “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all”… and put scarce tax dollar to good public uses.

By: Nan Emouse

Nan Emouse — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:05:51 +0000

boisecynic – where on earth do you get those population figures 2-3 hours from Boise?

Salt Lake is a 5 1/2 hour drive. Portland is a 6 hour drive or so. Seattle is around 8-9 hours. Spokane is 7-8 hours. Unless you’re going 150-175 mph, there is no way we have that population so close to Boise.

Salt Lake County is 1.2 million.
The Seattle area is 3.7 million.
Portland area is 2.2 million.
Spokane area may be 1 million but more likely less.

Heck the whole state of Idaho is less than 1.6 million and they sure all don’t live within a 2-3 hour drive of Boise. Besides, one really doesn’t rely on conventioneers from their own area to make a go of convention centers.

The only thing you’ve gotten right is that there are millions of people who live a non-stop plane ride away.

I don’t care who gets on GBAD, as long as it’s not Judy Peavey Derr.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:43:12 +0000

Cynic, you are overlooking the major problem Boise must face when competing with other cities of our size. You ask what do those cities have that we don’t? CASINOS!! Boise offers what we like and why we live here. Parks, a couple of really good restaurants, ease to manuever around and a
small town” way of life. None of which are factored into a decision by a medium to large company from another part of the country to want to bring it’s convention here. We will live with “small market” conventions for the foreseeable future. This belief that if we build in the supply, the demand will respond is irresponsible on all levels and just plain stupid on some.

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:50:38 +0000

Thanks Zack for reminding everyone of the Ameritel bias. Seems like BG forgot about it. Or maybe BG has its own bias.

Over 1 million people live within a 2 to 3 hour drive of Boise. Make that a 5 hour drive and its more like 6 million. Millions more live just a non-stop plane ride away.

What is the logic behind Boise is not a convention town? Sure Boise is not a LV, NYC or LA. This is an asset not a liability. Regardless, tourists come here from all over. As long as there have been people there have been pow wows. Wasn’t there an annual trade meeting in the late 1800s in the Jackson Hole area? Those people had to travel on horse back.

Spokane did it in 2006. Is Spokane better or smarter than Boise?

http://www.spokanecenter.com/about.php

By: Zack

Zack — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:41:27 +0000

One thing that people do forget is that the convention center isn’t just for those outside of Idaho. The Boise Centre already serves on average 200,000+ guests a year and hosts over 300 events.

Curiously, the Pocatello issue had to do with a lawsuit brought upon by Ameritel Inns. They opposed the appended 2% guest tax brought in by those from outside of Idaho.

By: Cyclops

Cyclops — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:29:44 +0000

Maybe one out of the six is somewhat qualified. The rest makes me want to know if there is a box for “None Of The Above”!!

By: dog

dog — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:42:54 +0000

What is really stupid is the people who buy into idea that Boise is a convention town and needs a bigger convention building. Obvioulsy they think Boise is better than Nampa or Caldwell. How dumb is that?

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:27:13 +0000

Out of all the people I know who live out of state, not one would travel here for a convention. Las Vegas, Hawaii, New York, New Orleans, Seattle, Portland perhaps but not Boise.

The people selling the hope and dream make millions selling the potato patch people a dream and hope if they build it people will come. How stupid is this?