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Convention Center Controversy
This has left city officials questioning whether the project should continue. Those in favor of the convention center believe it will fuel the downtown boom - making Wilmington a destination for conventioneers and a focal point for the entire region. Critics argue that the new face of downtown (post PPD, etc) presents us with more choices than before and that Wilmington would benefit more from a public-private partnership such as a multi-use performing arts and civic center. “We don’t need to close our eyes and pretend there’s not other options on the table,” said Councilman Jason Thompson. For now, the city is hard at work trying to find a new developer and still plans to break ground late summer. Let’s hear what Wilmington residents have to say! Are you for or against a new convention center? One Response to “Convention Center Controversy”Leave a Reply |
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Two years ago, the City of Wilmington spent $3.7M on riverfront land and signed an agreement with developer Armada Hoffler to build a $52M convention center and hotel on the lot. Since then, the project has been held up by numerous redesigns, a lawsuit and, most recently, termination of its agreement with Armada Hoffler (after the developer said it was no longer “financially feasible” to build a full-service hotel on the site).
May 31st, 2007 at 12:44 pm
It seems that most people in Wilmington are against the idea of the city paying for a convention center. Unfortunately, the majority of city council members are not listening to the public. If a private company has not yet taken the opportunity on its own to build a convention center in downtown Wilmington, then maybe the marketplace isn’t ready for one. I know that there are many smart and savvy business people in Wilmington that would have built this project themselves if they thought it would be financially profitable. I urge the city council to listen to the concerns of Wilmingtonians and take a look at the multiple, money-losing convention centers in North and South Carolina.
I do not believe that the convention center itself will make Wilmington a destination for conventioneers and a focal point for our region. This is because our Historic Riverfront and the Atlantic Ocean have already made Wilmington the focal point of the region. There are already major hotels with ballrooms and sufficient meeting space in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach that do great business with room for growth. I have to assume that these hotels are marketing the same clients from around the state that the convention center would be marketing. Forcing visitors of Wilmington to pay an additional 3% sales tax on their hotel stay to pay for a new, competing hotel is not wise. If the hotel and convention center cannot be built and operated on its own profits, then why build one?