The fight over the Downtown Kansas City Convention Hotel scheme is raging behind the scenes as the deal crumbles amid scrutiny.
First and foremost . . .
DEVELOPER MIKE BURKE REFUSES TO HAND OVER 'TERM SHEET' FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE TO CITY COUNCIL!!!
This isn't behind the scenes gossip. It's part of the public record that mainstream media news isn't reporting.
The facts . . .
Northland Council Member Heather Hall asked for the term sheet during business session on Dec. 22. Mike Burke said he wouldn't share it with her - It's on the record.
Council Lady Heather Hall has said to all of the local reporters and, again, on the record: "I'm uncomfortable using $35 million public dollars without full disclosure. $35 mill makes our taxpayers a pretty big shareholder. "
And now a bit of double trouble . . .
KANSAS CITY TAX FIGHTERS ARE FUMING MAD AT THE SECRECY OF THE CONVENTION HOTEL PLAN AND CALLING OUT 'FAKE NEWS' REPORTED BY THE STAR ABOUT AN 'UNDISCLOSED' DEAL!!!
Remember that the "undisclosed" reporting led to an important discussion among our blog community. Now, the title of the latest CFRG presser pushes the issue in no uncertain terms . . .
"Should City Manager Troy Schulte be fired?"
Here's the case they're making against this deal and supporters. Checkit:
Voting Taxpayers and our City Council duped once again by the Downtown Hotel Developers and our very own City Manager.
We tried to give Mr. Schulte the benefit of the doubt when he gave he developers of the downtown hotel plan a green light based on their financing package. He told us he “had seen the term sheet and there was in fact a deal”.. The lender was “undisclosed" at the time and still is today. Mr. Schulte then stated, the developers were able to continue on without approval of the current City Council because they had fulfilled the terms of the agreement. We do not see how there could possibly be an agreement or a deal and since any deal would include $167,000,000 of taxpayer money, the taxpayers are entitled to see the terms of the deal and everything related to it.
Several on the Council asked to see the term sheet and were stonewalled. CFRG has requested a copy of the term sheet from the City Manager and the LCRA, both have stonewalled us. Not even the courtesy of a reply to our request.
It is interesting the developers admit they don’t have a cost on the construction portion of the project which makes us wonder how can they have a deal if they don’t have the cost of construction? We also ask if the project was put out for bid as is called for by the city charter? No response to the bid question.
Last week several members of the City Council we’re ready to introduce a resolution limiting the City Manager’s authority on making decisions for the hotel project, suspecting a possible conflict of interest. These Council Members were mostly the newer Council Members who were not in office when the original hotel ordinance was voted on. They are very suspicious of the project as is the voting taxpayers of the city. Their resolution was tabled when the fake deal was announced. It is now time to bring the resolution back to life. When our City officials, elected and otherwise, do not act in the best interest of the voting taxpayers, it is time for the voting taxpayers to act. These public servants work for us and for the city council and should be held accountable by both.
“ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN…(AND WOMEN)… TO DO NOTHING!” Edmund Burke
We call on the good men and women on our City Council to do something!
Citizens for Responsible Government
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Developing . . .
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