From the 2010 Greensboro funded study for the Elm Street Center hotel, of which the Rhino can't seem to investigate

After entering "Elm Street Center" in the search field, only minimal background reporting the incentive grant request appears, the last being November 28, 2013.

http://www.rhinotimes.com/archives.html

The Greensboro News & Record has had multiple editorials and investigative news items on the story, while Roy's Rhino hasn't taken a stand or investigated anything on the topic in months.

It truly appears as though John Hammer and Roy Carroll have chosen to not report the news as the old Rhino certainly would have.  I would look up the old stories, but they deleted them.

Last I heard, local occupancy is around 54%, which is comparable to the 57.4% in 2010, even though other local hotels are doing worse while this project may use taxpayer money to compete.  That the proposed hotel intends to acquire taxpayer monies to build the structure, and take business away from others that didn't as occupancy fell since the last time they tried in 2010, shows the immorality of the project if taxpayers are involved;

Is the Wyndham going to offer free breakfast?

More on occupancy and what the developer's projected for their occupancy in 2010;

And for some wow; "a very wide discrepancy"

If the developers used some questionable numbers to acquire public financing last time, why should our local elected leaders trust what they are saying now, especially the expected Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar)?

As for expected Food and Beverage sales that will not be spread among other privately funded businesses;

Not only would this project remove business from other privately funded lodging enterprises with taxpayer money, they also intend to reap another $100 per night by capturing patron food and beverage sales that would otherwise go to others.

Is this what Greensboro is supposed to stand for?

Why would Roy Carroll and John Hammer not cover this in the Rhino?

Is Roy lining up purchased votes on City Council to fund his own hotel project with everyone else's money?

Has John Hammer completely sold out as a journalist to Roy Carroll?

Why would city staff come up with a $29.3 million impact of this project when this study was ignored?

What council members advocated for this project?

What city staff advocated for this project, while ignoring the 2010 study that said it wouldn't work, and the numbers offered up by the developers were relatively bogus?

Who thought it was a good idea to spend public money to replace an existing parking deck for $8 million, that would only add 100 parking spaces, which could be removed from public availability by the hotel?

Did anyone on city staff object?

Did the economic development department approve of the request?

This almost happened.

Most likely votes in favor; Perkins, Matheny and Hoffmann.

What does that say?

Is this the kind of thing Mr. Matheny wants to do at the federal level?

Robbie Perkins received campaign contributions from Randall and Tobee Kaplan in the last election cycle.

Kathy Manning, Randall's wife who contributed to Nancy Hoffmann, led the fundraising campaign for the GPAC which will cost taxpayers more than $50 million.

A private business intensely involved in convincing City Council with words and money to build a $65 million performing arts center that Randall and Kathy can now profit from, and now they want everyone else to cough up more money to go directly into their pockets.

Zack Matheny received a contribution/payoff from Randall Kaplan on 10/1/2013

That Kathy Manning gave a $1,300 in-kind contribution to Nancy Hoffmann with Painted Plate Catering, whose Brad Semon is working with Randall at the Elm Street Center, the location for the new hotel, is an indication Kathy has been busy bundling donations for Nancy Hoffmann and other's campaigns, with the goal of making millions from a taxpayer funded performing arts center.

Andy Scott should be investigated.