Toledo Blade on another mission

Over the last 40 years, Toledo's population has declined on average by 2,400 people per year. Instead of being concerned about attracting visitors, maybe the focus should be on keeping its citizens.

I'm trying to figure out the angle also. It doesn't make sense to me.

I think the tie in is hoped for "high rollers" coming into town to gamble. Will Toledo have any luxury hotel accommodations sufficient to make wealthy gamblers comfortable or will Toledo be just a destination point for busses full of Grandmas' out for day of hitting the nickle slots?

Weren't the Blocks opposed to the whole casino thing? I don't follow them too closely, but wasn't the TFP's cartoon of the Blocks standing in the way of hte casino what sparked the whole lawsuit?

Just a thought, but are they somehow, in their twisted logic, trying to create/inspire other destinations to rival the casino, especially since the casino was not allowed to build their own (which would have been a really cool hotel...)?

I didn't know the casino wasn't allowed to build their own. Excuse my ignorance but how can that be? Is there a Hotel license?

I believe that JoeyGee is probably correct.

Yes. All hotels have to be licensed. The Cleveland and Columbus also casinos dont have their own hotels. A prohibition makes sense if you look at it from the standpoint of protecting hotels already in operation from competition. Groups opposed to gambling would also support that type of prohibition.

http://www.hollywoodcasinotoledo.com/Hotels

Didn't someone say on another thread recently that out of town executives from their company decided not to locate the business in downtown Toledo in part because of an unimpressive stay at the Park Inn?

That would be me mom2. They didn't want customers coming in, to visit downtown. Now that was a few years ago and I think downtown has improved greatly. During the business week there is now activity downtown and even more importantly places for people to eat after 4:0 pm.

the park inn is being redeveloped by the chinese, the crown plaza is supposed to be on the up & up and the marriot is going into the fiber glass tower.... all without the help of the blade. who gives a shit what they have to say about anything?

tim0000 is right. downtown is different now and continually getting better. we don't need luxury, we need quality. and i think we're going to have it sooner than later.

The Blocks prove that even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. Is a 4 star or 5 star hotel going to solve all Toledo's problems no, but is it part of a solution yes. The biggest problem Toledo has is that everyone wants a magic bullet: one thing that is going to cure Toledo and make it popular and prosperous, where everyone is happy, wealthy and good looking. Anything that doesn't achieve all of that gets shot down, because it doesn't solve all of Toledo's problems. Even when people see an idea or project as beneficial they have to argue about it and figure out the best way to make sure it more costly, and takes way longer than it should, and that it only marginally meets the intended goal.

Could be off-base here, but I couldn't help think of the proximity of the Glass Art Society conference that's coming to town in a few weeks. I wonder if the hotel issue is top-of-mind given the 1400 or so visitors (& art collectors) who'll be in town then?

I enjoyed the articles. My only quibble is that importance was placed on the availability of concierge services, or lack thereof. I think technology might have overtaken some of that function. When I travel, either for business or pleasure, I have to make my own flight arrangements via the web, research and reserve my own hotels, figure out my own rental car or mass transit options in advance.

Being able to do all of that online makes it really unlikely that I will need a human at a hotel desk to find out if there's a theater or sporting event in town, or where to buy tickets, or where the trendy restaurants are.

I don't think our casino will be drawing a moneyed crowd. For the last ten years, apart from Vegas, they've all been designed for the middle-aged, Midwestern, middle-class patron.

I'm with roy on this one...I think it's a part of the solution and it's something lacking in this part of the area. I do a lot of travel and a few brands that are definitely missing in this area. I don't necessarily think we need a 5 star hotel, but a Westin or Sheraton or Aloft style hotel would be a very positive. I honestly think we could do well with a Westin in place of the Park Inn..and maybe a Double Tree or something in the old Hotel Seagate...

A decent hotel isn't going to solve all of the problems, but if we want more business, nice named brand hotels are required. Especially if we want more international business here.

For years I have tried to be positive about this city. Over the past year I have traveled all over Ohio to each major city several times over. The contrast between other Ohio cities verses Toledo astounds and depresses me. Toledo is really bottom of the barrel. My husband and I even joked that moving to the likes of Cleveland would be an upgrade, sad considering the city is nicknamed by locals "The mistake by the lake".

"Could be off-base here, but I couldn't help think of the proximity of the Glass Art Society conference that's coming to town in a few weeks. I wonder if the hotel issue is top-of-mind given the 1400 or so visitors (& art collectors) who'll be in town then?"

There are other LARGER conventions that happens in town, and hotels are just fine. In fact with convention travel the main thing people look for is affordable, and safe hotels....not big budget rooms.

The orientation of these types of articles is always skewed to me. "Why don't we have a 5 star hotel here?" can be answered simply: Because there isn't a market for one.

It's like the Blade seems to think it should just simply appear because "we need it". Helluva worldview. I guess all those hotel chains that have all those professionals in all those financial, human resources, and location planning departments are just idiots because apparently each and every one of them has said "there's currently not a market for a 5 star hotel in Toledo, Ohio".

As someone else already suggested, the Block's have some dough and if they think it's such a no-brainer, they can spend their own goddamn money and show us how it's done. Otherwise, pound sand.

Forget the 5-star hotel mission....how about one to FIX THE POTHOLES.

The article made it clear that the city doesn't need and couldn't support a five-star hotel like the Ritz Carlton or the Conrad in Indianapolis; the Toledo region doesn't even have one four-star property.

But I find it curious that these articles are published as plans are in the works for Marriott in the Tower on the Maumee, the former Fiberglas Tower. Will that be a four-star hotel?

or the schools, the crime problem, inept government...

Good companies want to move their people to places where FAMILIES want to be. A nice park and swanky hotel just don't cut it.

I'm not understanding what hotels have to do with fixing infrastructure. Everyone's in agreement that we need better streets, schools, safety, etc... the city wouldn't be paying for a new hotel (unless I missed something).

In the past I've worked as a manufacturer's rep and it was always a struggle to find an acceptable hotel when executive management came into town. As stated before, we don't even have a 4 star hotel. The Park Inn is a run-down joke at this point (even though it received a poorly done "refreshing" a few years back). The Crown Plaza is now the "Grand Plaza" and is below average compared to most city's downtown hotels. After a couple trips to the Crown, it was decided that all future stays would be at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg - same price as the downtown hotels and MUCH nicer accommodations, with the downside being inconvenience in location.

As downtown continues towards redevelop this is going to be an issue. I'm glad that the Marriot is in the works and hopefully the Park Inn and Grand Plaza get the renovation they need. Now if only someone would do something with the eyesore of the Seagate Hotel...

Infrastructure is paid for with tax dollars, a good hotel is from private funds from a company looking for a profit from renting rooms.

I assumed that the comments in which certain infrastructure investments, (such as pothole repairs) were suggested were done so as alternative values for a community to pursue and alternative "needs" for the Blocks to focus on in serving as leaders in our "Strong Publisher" form of Toledo government. Was this a tough gap to bridge?

"As downtown continues to develop this is going to be an issue."
Yep. And blight will be an issue as least as important as better hotels. Dam. Now I did it too.

If the business community needs a high end place for visiting executives to stay why don't they pony up a few dollars for a long needed renovation of The Toledo Club's 6 sleeping rooms. You could create 6 ultra high end luxurious suites that would have the onsite amenities The Blade articles desire. Excellent breakfast, lunch, and dinner service. A sports bar and a pub are onsite, along with full gym and lap pool. Concierge already on staff along with masseuse, tailor, barber, and dry cleaning drop off.

Seems like a realistic and attainable goal without the risk of having to support 200 $300 a night rooms year round. The business community and The Blade both have several club members who could donate to the cause as they would be the direct beneficiaries.

"Could a four-star hotel, built either by the city or by private interests, have the same effect on Toledo? Is the lack of one a detriment to area businesses and tourism?"

i read that this weekend and the first thing that came to my mind was "the blade will push for the city to "build/ own" a hotel".

...the first thing that came to my mind was "the blade will push for the city to "build/ own" a hotel".

Hey...whaddya know? The city DID own (or issued a lot of bonds for) a hotel building. Some of you oldsters might remember. And it turned out so well...

Toledo Blade (2008): Historic Hillcrest Faces Foreclosure

Ten years ago, the city of Toledo made a multimillion-dollar wager on the successful revitalization of the old Hillcrest Hotel and an accompanying resurgence of its near-downtown neighborhood.

But now with the Hillcrest Apartments building facing nearly imminent foreclosure, the city potentially could become responsible for ponying up $6.7 million in the project's outstanding general obligation bonds, city officials said yesterday.

"We're obligated; we have sold bonds - now we are on the hook," city Law Director John Madigan said yesterday.

The 106-unit Hillcrest has been falling behind in its loan payments since 2001, with the city footing much of the difference between the building's revenue and expenses.