Also announce Public “County Meetings”

Three members of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority (LCCCA) called for a moratorium on any stabilization and demolition of the Watt & Shand building and the historic Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Smith compound until bids are reviewed and final costs determined for the controversial $140 million Marriott hotel/convention center development.

“It is irresponsible to begin the construction process before we know what the final cost of the project will be,” said board member Laura Douglas. “We owe it to the taxpayers to examine the costs very thoroughly.

“Today we are calling for a stoppage of any scheduled stabilization or demolition of the Watt & Shand building and the Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Smith compound until all bids are received, reviewed, and approved, and final construction costs known,” Douglas continued. “To do less is an abdication of our duty to the taxpayers.”

The LCCCA board members also called for a public meeting to answer questions from the public on the development. Lancaster Newspapers, Inc., an investor in the proposed development, also encouraged the authority to answer questions from Lancaster County citizens.

“The public - as well as the authority board - deserves to have answers to questions about this project,” said Deb Hall, another member of the authority board. “We would not be doing due-diligence to our position if we didn't hear from the public on this very expensive investment of taxpayer dollars. They deserve to have questions answered, and so do we.”

The board members announced the first public “County Meeting” would be held next Wednesday, January 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Farm & Home Center.

“If another meeting is necessary, we will schedule another,” remarked Douglas.

Board member Jack Craver pointed to the necessity of conducting a “true feasibility study” for the project, saying earlier reports fell short of a comprehensive economic analysis.

“A 'marketing' study done on a $70 million dollar project is not a feasibility study for a $140 million development,” said authority board member, Jack Craver. “Before we spend a great deal of taxpayer money on this project, we must know what this project will look like, as well as how much it will cost, and whether the potential rewards are worth the risks.

“The expected losses from the convention center and hotel cannot require an increase in the exposure to city and county taxpayers. No sound business would think of investing $140 million without a thorough feasibility study, nor would any lending institution finance such a project without a feasibility study, and neither should this authority.”

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