RM 12-08-89 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bend 4edevelcpment Commission Regular Mee ing - December 8, 1989 noted that she does not consider two losses in two years a trend. Ms. Bonham stated that the site is optimal for a hotel and hoped that it could be held for a hotel use in the future. However, she did not feel that a hotel was needed at this time, nor that the type of hotel being considered was what was needed. Ms. Boritam noted that the Chamber of Commerce, the Hotel/Motel Tax Board and Project Future plan to do a study in 1990 to determine the hotel /exhibit space needs in the future of South Bend. Mrs. Ko ata noted that the configuration of the hotel being considered for the site has changed greatly from the original proposal. She alsc stressed that the Commission and staff are very aware of the market issue and are it a prime consideration in the Mr. Nim z noted that, as a plate collector himself, he has many contacts from the Plate Collectors Convention. They have much praise for Brian Hedman and Century Center, but do not like to be housed out of the center of activity and bussed to the site of the convention. Ms. Bonham responded that the Plate Collectors are the one convention that Century Center serves whose hotel needs cannot be met downtown. They would also like more exhibit space. But she noted that a hotel would be hard pressed to stay in business based only upon the yearly Plate Collector's Convention. Ms. Bonhxm noted that there are approximately 40 sell- ut nights in the South Bend area per year, anI the occupancy rate of the two, present downtown hotels is not high enough to justify other downtown hotel at this time. Mr. Nintz, stated that the Commission has not made a decision on this matter yet. Mrs. Kolata noted that the staff will be meeting later tcday with the developers of the proposed hotel. -13-