Captain Quackenbush's
Questions About San Marcos Convention Center Research
RECEIVED Thu., July 15, 2004
Dear Editor,
If you think the USA may have sent our troops to Iraq for reasons based on bad information, questionable research, and biased reasoning just take a look at the research San Marcos is building a convention center on, if you can find it. The mayor and City Council have made their decision to build based on rumored research claiming economic gain that has not been made available to the public.
Is the data so sophisticated that only City Council members and corporate developers can understand it? Or is the data on the benefits of this project withheld because those numbers will not bear scrutiny? Could it be that the promised benefits are based on bad information, questionable research, and biased reasoning?
Where will the money to pay for the $24 million for infrastructure and $15 million convention center to service this hotel really come from? Based on the vague information provided to the citizens, if the San Marcos City Council were to walk into a bank and ask for a loan to fund this feel-good "investment" they would be laughed out of the bank. Funding an investment requires verifiable data.
We have done some research of our own. The promised benefits are just plain bs, and costs are understated.
A convention in San Marcos promises the conventioneer an expensive taxi ride from the airport in either San Antonio, foregoing the River Walk for entertainment, or Austin and its Sixth Street. No no, give me an exciting San Marcos shopping center far enough away from my hotel room to require another taxi. Yep, I'd consider booking my convention in San Marcos ... and Austin, and San Antonio, and Spokane, and a whole lot of places. But don't hold me to that. Build your convention center anyway.
If you think the USA may have sent our troops to Iraq for reasons based on bad information, questionable research, and biased reasoning just take a look at the research San Marcos is building a convention center on, if you can find it. The mayor and City Council have made their decision to build based on rumored research claiming economic gain that has not been made available to the public.
Is the data so sophisticated that only City Council members and corporate developers can understand it? Or is the data on the benefits of this project withheld because those numbers will not bear scrutiny? Could it be that the promised benefits are based on bad information, questionable research, and biased reasoning?
Where will the money to pay for the $24 million for infrastructure and $15 million convention center to service this hotel really come from? Based on the vague information provided to the citizens, if the San Marcos City Council were to walk into a bank and ask for a loan to fund this feel-good "investment" they would be laughed out of the bank. Funding an investment requires verifiable data.
We have done some research of our own. The promised benefits are just plain bs, and costs are understated.
A convention in San Marcos promises the conventioneer an expensive taxi ride from the airport in either San Antonio, foregoing the River Walk for entertainment, or Austin and its Sixth Street. No no, give me an exciting San Marcos shopping center far enough away from my hotel room to require another taxi. Yep, I'd consider booking my convention in San Marcos ... and Austin, and San Antonio, and Spokane, and a whole lot of places. But don't hold me to that. Build your convention center anyway.
Bill Huddleston
San Marcos
San Marcos
