Today, the Des Moines Register reported that the group charged with bringing a hotel to the Iowa Events Center is suggesting that the hotel be managed by a nonprofit organization. (See link below.) It appears from the report that the hotel would have a separate private owner. I don’t get it. Wouldn’t the owner decide who would manage the hotel? The project has already been scaled back from 450 room to 300 rooms due to project costs. The current proposal is relying on, “a number of city, county and state incentives.” It appear pretty clear that the private sector thinks such a hotel does not make good economic sense. Given the vitality of the downtown Des Moines area, we need to ask when, if ever, are the taxpayer subsidies going to end for what should be private investments.
Link: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/development/2015/01/16/convention-hotel-update/21862043/
Libertarian Perspectives 