Salt Lake:Official development news thread - Part 2

[Zionide]

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

Have you been to Bourbon Street?

Yes.

[Zionide]

Originally Posted by WeST

My concern is that these companies start here, but when they get investment dollars they move somewhere else like California or Texas. We need to be working as hard as we can to keep them growing here and employing people.

Yeah, I think that happens more than many people realize. I've known a couple tech companies that started here, but when they got to about 100+ people they relocated (to the northwest and CA respectively) because they couldn't get additional qualified employees to move to Utah---the potential recruits were afraid of the perceived culture shock.

Hopefully the change to private club laws is the first step to changing those misconceptions, but we've obviously got a long way to go.

[delts145]

V.P. Office for Research - Research Parks direct benefit to the community:

Research Park

University of Utah Research Park lies adjacent to campus on 320 acres of ancient Lake Bonneville shoreline. The park houses 42 companies, 69 academic departments and approximately 7,531 employees in 37 buildings. A master plan has been developed with emphasis on preservation and enhancement of land contiguous to the university.

Research Park companies have added more than 4,700 jobs to the state's economy, and the annual in-state productivity of park residents exceeds $550 million.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by WeST

Thanks Delts for posting these great stories. Your efforts are as great as T-Mac's photos. When I read the article about the convention hotel and the experiences of St. Louis, I couldn't help but think about how blessed we are to be living in this state and region. The Midwest is a mess and the best example of that is St. Louis. Utah is great, but we have a lot of solid competition from surrounding cities.

I hope the numbers come out for building a hotel. I would like the city and county officials to seek a private developer before they undertake it, but ultimately if the numbers are good then I would love a 1,000+ facility. It does seem that our direct competitors have more than a 1,000 rooms, so maybe that is too conservative.

Wow, the U is kicking butt on the entrepreneur front! This is a good indication of what kind of people this state is blessed with. My concern is that these companies start here, but when they get investment dollars they move somewhere else like California or Texas. We need to be working as hard as we can to keep them growing here and employing people.

I thought it was interesting reading about St. Louis' difficulties because about 5-6 years ago, I was working to try and bring NGLTF's national Creating Change conference to SLC, but we lost out to St. Louis because they had a convention center hotel, and here in SLC guests would have to have been spread out over several hotels and the hotels were too far away from the Salt Palace.

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by delts145

Reading that article on the new hotel, and those cities which are most directly involved in competition with the Salt Lake City market, convinces me even more that the hotel is soon imminent. I think that once Salt Lake completes the bulk of it's current build-up we will leap several steps ahead of many of those cities cited. Most of those cities don't even have close to the amount of spectacular scenery within easy proximity.

Agreed. Also, in reading the article, I thought it was interesting that the experts felt that Houston's success had a lot to do with the hotel's location being near their basketball stadium and theatre district. That's encouraging. Our convention center hotel would be less than a block from Energy Solutions Arena, the Capitol Theatre, the new Performing Arts Center and Film Center (should they be built) and less than two blocks from the Gateway, the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Abravanel Hall, and CCC. With Trax at its front door, and Temple Square nearby I think this hotel is a sure bet financially. Too bad we lost the Aquarium and Soccer stadium to Sandy. With that many amenities, we'd leap frog most of the competition.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Zionide

Yes.

Ok, just making sure While I certainly enjoy the entertainment qualities that a Bourbon Street type entertainment district provides, it's a very rowdy and crazy place. But, you never know, maybe one could be developed that is more family friendly.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

Ok, just making sure While I certainly enjoy the entertainment qualities that a Bourbon Street type entertainment district provides, it's a very rowdy and crazy place. But, you never know, maybe one could be developed that is more family friendly.

Seriously? Bars aren't supposed to be family friendly.

[WeST]

Originally Posted by Zionide

Yeah, I think that happens more than many people realize. I've known a couple tech companies that started here, but when they got to about 100+ people they relocated (to the northwest and CA respectively) because they couldn't get additional qualified employees to move to Utah---the potential recruits were afraid of the perceived culture shock.

Hopefully the change to private club laws is the first step to changing those misconceptions, but we've obviously got a long way to go.

I think that it is also important to remember that this area is successful, prosperous, and dynamic not despite the culture, but because of it. Granted there are things that do hurt business or tourism, but I believe far more benefit comes from the local culture, than does any negatives. This is not to be interpreted as a religious statement, but rather about the general culture that exists here and in the greater region. You don't get your flagship university with accomplishments like second only to MIT in spin off business ventures without some great and entrepreneurial people.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Seriously? Bars aren't supposed to be family friendly.

A family friendly Bourbon Street would be like maybe Beale Street in Memphis. That's what I meant.

[TonyAnderson]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Seriously? Bars aren't supposed to be family friendly.

I don't think it's that bad an idea. I just wouldn't want a street like that in the heart of downtown, since it could be a deterrent.

[TonyAnderson]

Originally Posted by Zionide

Yeah, I think that happens more than many people realize. I've known a couple tech companies that started here, but when they got to about 100+ people they relocated (to the northwest and CA respectively) because they couldn't get additional qualified employees to move to Utah---the potential recruits were afraid of the perceived culture shock.

Hopefully the change to private club laws is the first step to changing those misconceptions, but we've obviously got a long way to go.

I believe that happens as well sometimes, but I also think that happens practically everywhere (e.g California companies now relocating to Texas). I also have seen where companies stay in the area no matter what just because they love the area so much.

[TonyAnderson]

What's interesting about the convention center hotel ordeal, is that there seems to be plenty of fine hotels in downtown SLC, with a couple of new ones just recently completed (Grand America, Hyatt), yet it does seem convention goers want a hotel specifically catered towards them. If that's the case, build it.

[delts145]

They need to figure out how exactly they're going to fund the hotel and get on with it now. I mean, the set-up downtown that is going to be in place as the hotel comes online will be amazing. Enough discussion already, let's see some actual action. Perhaps, we're waiting to see some action from the Marriott family. Something in the same vein as the Holdings. Not that the Marriotts would need to foot the entire bill, but somewhat of a major infusion. It would be great if the hotel was somewhat iconic vs. the spate of so many of these hotels, which are drab boxes.

[WeST]

Originally Posted by delts145

They need to figure out how exactly they're going to fund the hotel and get on with it now. I mean, the set-up downtown that is going to be in place as the hotel comes online will be amazing. Enough discussion already, let's see some actual action. Perhaps, we're waiting to see some action from the Marriott family. Something in the same vein as the Holdings. Not that the Marriotts would need to foot the entire bill, but somewhat of a major infusion. It would be great if the hotel was somewhat iconic vs. the spate of so many of these hotels, which are drab boxes.

I agree. I want a thorough analysis to make sure it will work and that we are doing it right, but then move very quickly to see it finished before and soon after CCC. This is a great time to start a project if you can get funding, because prices for labor and materials are so low.

[delts145]

Okay, so those of you City Hall/County Government lurkers, and we know you're out there, let's make this Hotel a significant statement. It should be an iconic symbol for the new era of stardom that Salt Lake City is approaching. Something that will do us all proud as did the Hotel Utah in it's heyday. PLEASE, don't give us a massive stucco box with endless, repetitous windows and no design or artistic flourish!!

[cololi]

It's all about the money. I would like to know where the money is going to come from. I support building it, but seriously, what else is not going to get funded in lieu of this project? Public safety Complex. downtown street car, sugarhouse street car, extension of Univeristy line to central station? It makes perfectly sound logic to use the hotel tax, if it weren't allocated for the next 25 years to pay for a soccer stadium. I think the best case scenario would be to have the County and City acquire the land and perhaps loan up to 50% of the cost to a private developer at very low interest (1-2%) to enable them to get additional funding somehwere else.

I don't think the building needs to be an iconic structure. It can use simple, low cost, durable materials and make a statement. I would much rather have an incredibly strong street prescences, maybe the bottom 3 floors have a strong architectural value and the upper stories are less ornate and simple with some sort of rooftop treatment that adds to the skyline. I think Hotel Monaco is the only hotel (that is still a hotel) downtown that has a great street prescence. The marriotts, Americas, etc. are not very good at the street level.

[DMTower]

^^^ The Peery Hotel has awesome street presence. I think they should take care with the design of the hotel because it is going to be up front and center in our skyline and an eyesore on that side of the city is going to show up a lot more.

[cololi]

You are right. I was thinking more along the lines of bigger hotels. The bottom line is that there are not any hotels in SLC built within the last 30-40 years that have a good street prescence. Far to often the front entrance is hidden behind the circular driveway. That is what I like about the Monaco, the main pedestrian entrance is on Main, but the main vehicle entrance is behind the building. It works great. Street prescence is by far the most important element of a downtown building in my opinion. Second is the top. I don't care nearly as much what happens in the middle, although some windows with more of a vertical emphasis would be nice.

[ski_steve]

Port O' Call owners could get $7.5 million from feds

The federal government has reached an agreement with the owners of Port O' Call to pay $7.5 million for the now-closed downtown social club.

The payment, which is pending approval by a federal judge, will settle a condemnation suit filed last year by the U.S. government. The condemnation of the property -- the Shubrick Building, which was the home of the Port O' Call social club, and the unoccupied Galley and DeWorth buildings -- opens up space just west of the Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse at 350 S. Main St. for a new courthouse.

The suit valued the buildings and land at $5.465 million, but the owners had said the fair market value was "substantially higher." The Shubrick Building, at 60 to 78 W. 400 South, sits on less than an acre of land.

The agreement, if approved, will cancel a trial scheduled for this fall.

The club closed in February and about 1,100 items, including neon signs and top-notch sound systems, were put up for auction.

Another part of the courthouse project, the move of the historic Odd Fellows Hall across Market Street, remained stalled over a dispute between a contractor and subcontractor. The two sides are negotiating.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12983353?source=rss

[utahboozer]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Seriously? Bars aren't supposed to be family friendly.

I'm thinking a raucous bar crowd, but everyone is wearing Mickey Mouse ears.