Monthly Archives: March 2017

The City has issued a revised version of its so-called ‘One Pager’ (actually two pages, one sheet) on the status and essentials of the Downtown Frederick Hotel and Conference Center project:

The County matched the City ’s $10,750 contribution to this year’s lobbying effort in Annapolis organized by the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce on behalf of state funding of the Downtown Hotel and Conference Center (DH&CC) project. The Chamber has … Continue reading →

Dear Delegate: please vote against state capital budget money for the downtown Frederick hotel complex. Last time such grants were made they were on condition that the City and the developer execute a contract or MOU with the Maryland Stadium … Continue reading →

Dear Senator: Please do not vote money for the downtown Frederick hotel and conference center. We need hotel accommodation downtown but this project prevents it. For eight years now the City has insisted on imposing a single behemoth, monopoly hotel … Continue reading →

Anti-blight campaigner Ned Bond says the Mayor is giving the owners of the Birely Tannery site, the Randall family, a pass on code violations in order to further the City-sponsored hotel development at the site. The Maryland Historical Trust, the … Continue reading →

Capital budget documents from the General Assembly in Annapolis spell out the State’s intent to cancel all support for the downtown hotel and conference center. They say under Reason: “Governor has withdrawn support for the project — including not providing … Continue reading →

A City ‘News Release’ is circulating with predictable spin on the General Assembly staff recommendation of ‘deauthorization’ of state grants for the downtown hotel. The news release says the City will ‘work closely’ with the Department of Legislative Services, and

The General Assembly’s Department of Legislative Services (DLS) has recommended ‘de-authorization’ (cancellation) of state funding for the City-sponsored downtown hotel project. DLS analysis notes that the Governor’s 2017 budget proposes to de-authorize (cancel) $1 million general obligation (GO) bonds for … Continue reading →

The City-sponsored downtown hotel project has always depended on state financing. The City and the County can spring for $5m or perhaps $10m with tax increment bonds, but local taxpayers won’t stand for more. Local government can’t make up for … Continue reading →

So far there’s no sign that this year’s City taxpayer-funded lobbying effort on behalf of state aid for the downtown hotel is bearing any fruit. Capital budget bills HB151 and its twin SB171 both list $8.5m of grants sought last … Continue reading →