Rumors are floating around about a change in the possible bond funding arrangements for the proposed campus hotel/conference center. Possibly, alternative bonds - presumably not tax-favored muni bonds - would be used, thus allowing commercial use of the hotel. That step would put the hotel in direct competition with Westside commercial hotels, of course, raising the level of opposition from them. Since the hotel would still be subsidized - free land, no property tax, donor gift - such competition would be controversial. Would local hotel taxes be paid? Parking for a full service operation? Traffic flowing into campus for a full service operation?
Commercial operation and a change in the financing model would be a departure from the vague description released last fall. Would there be other such departures? A commercial operator (Hilton, Sheraton, etc.) as was once envisioned for the original hotel proposal that would have been where the faculty center now stands? Contract employees rather than UCLA employees?
Rumors are just that at this point - rumors - but they could be spiked with the release of the business plan which is still not available. As readers of this blog will know, the Faculty Association has filed a public documents request for the plan, so far without success.
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