More Chinese Investments

Ohio Carpenters' Pension Fund to be exact. Sorry I didn't add that. I have A.D.D. today.

What about the hotel Seagate that's empty and for sale? That would be more beneficial for the downtown area?

They've said on a couple different occasions now that they have other international investment deals in the works, so who knows what other properties will be on the trading block. There's so much that can be done along our waterfront, I'd be happy to see any new activity help stir things up.

(and they specified that these other deals were with countries other than China, which means they'd be in addition to the one being discussed here)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuGPJ6FFvy0&feature=related

I heard the deal is off. Likely due to the relentless negative press from the Blade. Anyone hear anything about this??

"NOW what side does Lindsey Webb take?"

Lindsay Webb will take a HUGE, LONG suck of her political middle finger and hoist it upward to see which way the political wind is blowing before she lets us know.

Again, another prime example of the mentality of Toledo voters.

I heard the deal is off. Likely due to the relentless negative press from the Blade. Anyone hear anything about this??

where did you hear this? the building really would be an ideal spot for some investment. foreign or local, but we know local isn't happening.

Sorry- I meant I heard the WHOLE deal was off. Marina district and all. I honestly cannot verify this, but have to say I believe it after the Blade interrogations. I cannot find anything official about it at this time and wonder if anyone has heard anything.

I thought they already owned marina district; the dock too.

I thought so as well. Is there a loophole? I don't want to spread a false rumor, but it wouldn't surprise me if they told Toledo to go fly a kite. I hope it's not true.

you are in fact spreading a false rumor. let's hold off until we hear more

unless i have missed something...

dashing has made no investment in bricks and mortar... have they even submitted anything to the plan commission at this point?

i would guess dashing looked at the size of the property and the low price tag and the demographics of the metro area and the geographic location in the US and thought, jeez... how can this not be a winner. i'm sure they included lots of provisions to withdraw from the projects at minimum cash exposure as well.

now they have seen the baggage toledo carrys and been buggered by the blade. chinese investors are no smarter than US investors... probably less sophisticated. the blade pointed out the obvious: the chinese by and large make their money by exploiting cheap labor through government connections... there is no brilliance in that, just opportunism. but now they are getting a taste of what US investors have come to know as fairly common knowledge about our market. and until they actually start to build something they are nothing more than speculators...

toledo does not have pent up unmet demand... our pols have not created a vision of a way forward, a revitalized urban core, a level playing field (everything is an inside deal), a series of amenities and neighborhoods that will create a vitality. the things that do happen such as uptown and pockets of the warehouse district happen often despite our pols based on individual initiative and often at great peril.

it would be a nice bonus if chinese investment pans out, however... it is a reality that the likely outcome is dashing pulling out and we should not count on them nor be disappointed if/when they do. toledoans need to do the hard work of reforming our politics (including putting the blade in its place) and better form our own future - a white knight is a pipe dream.

Alright, let's stick with primary sources here. When it's something this big, let's not have a "well I heard from my hair dresser that his cousin knows a guy who tends bar, and he overheard this" conversation.

Yes, the Blade is showing its true colors, and providing perfect examples of why I'll never contribute my money to their lowbrow yellow journalism. But I really can't see that being enough to make somebody drop a $6MM investment (Marina and Docks combined)

EES: There isn't a word in your post I'd disagree with. You hit every important nail squarely on the head. Well said.

"the things that do happen such as uptown and pockets of the warehouse district happen often despite our pols based on individual initiative and often at great peril."

I can agree with that first hand. We renovated a building that has been empty since 1963. You'd think the city would be laying out the red carpet for us to make it an income-generating property of use again, but no, it was one hurdle after another. The only reason I'd do anything in downtown again is because I love my home city. I can't see how anyone who doesn't have that hometown bias would want to put up with the garbage the city dumps on you when you try to make things happen.

"the Blade is showing its true colors"...
Why is that every time The Blade does one of its in-depth reports like this, we anticipate another "smear"? I hope that newspaper doesn't screw up the whole deal and run these guys out of Toledo as they have done others. Another example of why the paper is a detriment to this town.

I can agree with that first hand. We renovated a building that has been empty since 1963. You'd think the city would be laying out the red carpet for us to make it an income-generating property of use again, but no, it was one hurdle after another. The only reason I'd do anything in downtown again is because I love my home city. I can't see how anyone who doesn't have that hometown bias would want to put up with the garbage the city dumps on you when you try to make things happen.

In only five sentences...a complete explanation of why green shoots of new development from private parties are so hard to cultivate in this town.

I see fairly imaginative ideas for downtown on this board..."why don't we...", "we should have...", "wouldn't it be great if...". We...the 99.9999% that sits on the sidelines...can throw out ideas, no problem. Implementing them through the morass of inefficient bureaucrats in this town, all of whom want their own little fiefdom's of influence protected, paid off, etc.....I can only imagine.

Congratulations, Johio. You deserve it and all accolades.

signs are pointing to it getting better. look at the standart lofts that just opened up in the warehouse district. it's a huge project, funded by private out of town money. if it can happen, and succeed, others may come.