CTroyMathis
21 November 2003, 05:21 PM
Small/medium-scale stuff up in McKinney...
City hears proposal on convention center, hotel
BY BRENDA BERNET , STAFF WRITER 11/20/2003
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10546286&BRD=1436&PAG=461&dept_id=184990&rfi=6
However, if city officials are willing to contribute roughly $4.5 million to the project, then they could an upscale hotel and convention center that would serve area businesses, create jobs and eventually increase city tax revenues, Leslie said.
"What corporations need is an upscale hotel," he said. "To do that we need the city's help."
City Council members met with Leslie during their Monday work session. The proposed $20.9 million project would include an eight-story, high-rise hotel with 150 guest rooms, a full-service restaurant and a full-service lounge. The convention center would include 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, convention seating for 5,000, banquet seating for 1,500, and an indoor, 200-seat amphitheater.
After the presentation, the council gave the OK to City Manager Larry Robinson to research the proposal and to organize a meeting of all the affected city and community groups.
Mayor Bill Whitfield said the city needs a facility like the one proposed by Leslie, whether his company builds it or not. Business travelers who visit McKinney are staying in other cities.
"We don't have a facility," he said. "It's not wise for us not to have one."
Whitfield said he does not have a problem with the proposal to use city funds to support the project because other area cities have done so, including Allen and Denton. City officials will have to consider whether the project is worth the money, however, he said.
"We want to upgrade a facility, we've got to pay our share," he said.
Other similar proposals have been presented to the city, though none have come to fruition so far, city officials said.
Council member Gilda Garza said she thought the project was impressive and is something she would like to see in the city. Still, she has some concerns about its impact on existing hotels in McKinney.
Jan Hall, secretary for the Community Development Corp., was among representatives from various city boards and community groups who attended Monday's work session to hear the hotel-and-convention center proposal. City officials plan to schedule a future meeting with the various groups concerning the proposed project.
"I think there's a very interesting possibility, and it deserves consideration," Hall said. "I feel sure the City Council and all the boards involved will study the proposal and ask questions."
Heights Hospitality representatives have also approached the Collin County Community College District about participating.
"We're excited," said Cary Israel, college district president. "We've been talking about a conference facility for many years."
However, college district officials have made no commitments to such a project, nor have they committed any money, Israel said. If the hotel and convention center project could help the college district meet its needs, then officials could explore the possibility of participating.
City officials had asked officials from such corporations as Raytheon for suggestions of amenities that their visitors, including clients, vendors, partners and Raytheon employees, desire when traveling, said Raytheon spokeswoman Janet Kopec. Raytheon's visitors tend to stay in Allen, Richardson, Plano or Dallas.
Raytheon's guests tend to stay in hotels that can offer business services, such as high-speed Internet, meeting facilities, and restaurants.
Kopec said the project is not being done for Raytheon, but the corporation's guests could use a hotel facility like the one that is being proposed.
"It would be most convenient for us," she said.
Raymond Sanders of Dallas purchased the proposed hotel/convention center site in 2000 with the intention of building a retail center on the seven-acre site, he said.
"This need for the city seemed to be more," Sanders said.
The project would be a joint venture between Sanders of Dallas and Heights Hospitality, and they are creating an owner by the name of British American Properties of McKinney, he said.
So, he began working with Heights Hospitality to bring a proposal to the council.
Leslie said the project is expected to generate roughly $2.8 million in tax revenues for the city within the first five years. The project is expected to create more than 100 jobs for local residents, including management and service-related positions, he said.
David Pitstick, economic development director for McKinney, said McKinney corporations often send people to available meeting facilities Frisco, Plano and Dallas, as well as the Hilton Garden Inn in Allen.
"There's no question it would be a great benefit," Pitstick said. "We just need to look at all the facts."
City hears proposal on convention center, hotel
BY BRENDA BERNET , STAFF WRITER 11/20/2003
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10546286&BRD=1436&PAG=461&dept_id=184990&rfi=6
However, if city officials are willing to contribute roughly $4.5 million to the project, then they could an upscale hotel and convention center that would serve area businesses, create jobs and eventually increase city tax revenues, Leslie said.
"What corporations need is an upscale hotel," he said. "To do that we need the city's help."
City Council members met with Leslie during their Monday work session. The proposed $20.9 million project would include an eight-story, high-rise hotel with 150 guest rooms, a full-service restaurant and a full-service lounge. The convention center would include 35,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, convention seating for 5,000, banquet seating for 1,500, and an indoor, 200-seat amphitheater.
After the presentation, the council gave the OK to City Manager Larry Robinson to research the proposal and to organize a meeting of all the affected city and community groups.
Mayor Bill Whitfield said the city needs a facility like the one proposed by Leslie, whether his company builds it or not. Business travelers who visit McKinney are staying in other cities.
"We don't have a facility," he said. "It's not wise for us not to have one."
Whitfield said he does not have a problem with the proposal to use city funds to support the project because other area cities have done so, including Allen and Denton. City officials will have to consider whether the project is worth the money, however, he said.
"We want to upgrade a facility, we've got to pay our share," he said.
Other similar proposals have been presented to the city, though none have come to fruition so far, city officials said.
Council member Gilda Garza said she thought the project was impressive and is something she would like to see in the city. Still, she has some concerns about its impact on existing hotels in McKinney.
Jan Hall, secretary for the Community Development Corp., was among representatives from various city boards and community groups who attended Monday's work session to hear the hotel-and-convention center proposal. City officials plan to schedule a future meeting with the various groups concerning the proposed project.
"I think there's a very interesting possibility, and it deserves consideration," Hall said. "I feel sure the City Council and all the boards involved will study the proposal and ask questions."
Heights Hospitality representatives have also approached the Collin County Community College District about participating.
"We're excited," said Cary Israel, college district president. "We've been talking about a conference facility for many years."
However, college district officials have made no commitments to such a project, nor have they committed any money, Israel said. If the hotel and convention center project could help the college district meet its needs, then officials could explore the possibility of participating.
City officials had asked officials from such corporations as Raytheon for suggestions of amenities that their visitors, including clients, vendors, partners and Raytheon employees, desire when traveling, said Raytheon spokeswoman Janet Kopec. Raytheon's visitors tend to stay in Allen, Richardson, Plano or Dallas.
Raytheon's guests tend to stay in hotels that can offer business services, such as high-speed Internet, meeting facilities, and restaurants.
Kopec said the project is not being done for Raytheon, but the corporation's guests could use a hotel facility like the one that is being proposed.
"It would be most convenient for us," she said.
Raymond Sanders of Dallas purchased the proposed hotel/convention center site in 2000 with the intention of building a retail center on the seven-acre site, he said.
"This need for the city seemed to be more," Sanders said.
The project would be a joint venture between Sanders of Dallas and Heights Hospitality, and they are creating an owner by the name of British American Properties of McKinney, he said.
So, he began working with Heights Hospitality to bring a proposal to the council.
Leslie said the project is expected to generate roughly $2.8 million in tax revenues for the city within the first five years. The project is expected to create more than 100 jobs for local residents, including management and service-related positions, he said.
David Pitstick, economic development director for McKinney, said McKinney corporations often send people to available meeting facilities Frisco, Plano and Dallas, as well as the Hilton Garden Inn in Allen.
"There's no question it would be a great benefit," Pitstick said. "We just need to look at all the facts."