"From Page 1 of the downtown Greensboro Wyndham Hotel Feasibility Study dated December 9, 2013:
"In addition to the work in 2012, we have confirmed that the City of Greensboro has approved two additional significant projects, the $60 million, 3,000 seat, Greensboro Performing Arts Center and the Downtown University Campus site."
The Greensboro City Council did not approve the Greensboro Performing Arts Center until January 2014. And plans for the Downtown University Campus site have yet to be approved.
My questions:
1. How is it possible that an out of town, independent 3rd party, in this case HVS Global Hospitality http://www.hvs.com/ is able to ascertain the outcome of City Council votes that have yet to take place?
2. Being that the Downtown University Campus site has yet to be approved does that not invalidate the feasibility study?
3. With the feasibility study invalidated is the Greensboro City Council not forced to call an emergency session to vote to invalidate the $1.975 Million Dollar Incentive Grant because it was based on a flawed study?"
As you can see, Donnie included Mayor Vaughan, District 1 Councilman Jamal Fox and City Manager Jim Westmoreland in on the e-mail"
"from: Turlington, Donnie Donald.Turlington@greensboro-nc.gov
to: Billy Jones,
"Vaughan, Nancy (Mayor)"
cc: "Westmoreland, Jim",
"Fox, Jamal"
date: Fri, Mar 21, 2014 at 1:28 PM
subject: RE: Public Information Request
: Important mainly because of your interaction with messages in the conversation.
Hi Billy,
Your questions below have been shared with all of Council, per your request. As you are aware, the City of Greensboro was not responsible for the preparation of the feasibility study outlined in your questions. That study was proposed by representatives of the Wyndham Hotel. My suggestion is that you follow up directly with folks at HVS or the study principle (Michael E. Brophy) and pose these questions to them. If those answers result in the need for a request for additional records from the City, let us know and we will provide those records.
Best,
Donnie
Donnie Turlington, APR, Communications Manager"
My reply to Donnie and Council:
"Thank you Donnie,
I appreciate your quick response and will attempt to get answers from HVS Global Hospitality. Should their answers be unsatisfactory or too slow in coming I will be forced to address this issue before the television cameras at the next Greensboro City Council meeting.
Thanks for doing such a great job while working under such impossible circumstances.
-Billy"
So I then e-mailed HVS Global Hospitality the following e-mail along with a link to this post.
"Questions for Michael E. Brophy,
From Page 1 of the downtown Greensboro Wyndham Hotel Feasibility Study dated December 9, 2013:
"In addition to the work in 2012, we have confirmed that the City of Greensboro has approved two additional significant projects, the $60 million, 3,000 seat, Greensboro Performing Arts Center and the Downtown University Campus site."
The Greensboro City Council did not approve the Greensboro Performing Arts Center until January 2014. And plans for the Downtown University Campus site have yet to be approved.
My questions:
1. How is it possible that an out of town, independent 3rd party, in this case HVS Global Hospitality http://www.hvs.com/ is able to ascertain the outcome of City Council votes that have yet to take place?
2. Being that the Downtown University Campus site has yet to be approved does that not invalidate the feasibility study?
3. Who provided you, Michael E. Brophy and HVS Global Hospitality with information that the Greensboro Performing Arts Center and the downtown University Square Campus had already been approved by Greensboro City Council when in fact they had not?
This e-mail exchange is posted online where you can also find more info: http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2014/03/lies-from-wyndham-hotel-study-part-4.html
I hope I'm safe in assuming I can expect a very quick and straight forward response.
Thank you -Billy Jones"
So the question now becomes, who gets thrown under the bus? The Mayor? A Councilman hoping to become a congressman? A former mayor? A former city manager, former city attorney? Whose name have they told Mr Brophy to drop in order to get me off their backs? Don't worry, I still have decks up my sleeve.
Continue reading Part 5.
