County Contributes $125,000 Toward Pink Palace Renovations
The amount will be contributed over three years.
County Commissioners voted 6-1 to contribute $125,000 to the project to turn a decaying downtown hotel into a Hampton Inn designed to attract visitors and spur more business development downtown.
Construction has already begun on the hotel which has been a long time in the making. The public-private partnership has required incentives from the Downtown Development Authroity, the City of Bradenton and the county.
County Commissioners voted earlier this year to donate a county parking lot to the project, which was vital to making it happen. Without the parking lot, there wasn't enough parking for the Hampton Inn to come downtown.
County Commissioner Joe McClash voted against contributing the additional $125,000.
The county will contribute about $42,000 a year over the next three years.
Tony T
9:39 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Why???
Toni Whitt
3:45 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The county has been considering the contribution since before the project was approved. The parking lot had to be donated before the Hampton Inn would consider the project. But the county didn't have to vote on the money before now. It was designed to be an incentive to get the development going in Manatee County. The developers had originally asked for more.
Devilwentdowntoflorida
3:42 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Fine. But Hampton Inn, by all that is holy, I beseech you: KEEP IT PINK and do not change the color.