Convention center leaders have chosen a host hotel and site.
The Capital Improvement Board approved Dora / Louderback JV over MHG Hotels due to its vision, expectations, local work force, and familiarity.
Dora was initially recommended two years ago but negotiations faltered after the city couldn’t provide enough incentives.
This time the CIB included land parcels it received earlier this year from the county and city.
CIB President John Whikehart said Dora prefers the south parcels over the College Square property.
“This is not a fallback position; it is where we want to build, and we've been planning around it,” Whikehart read from a Dora email at Wednesday's CIB meeting.
“The site works for the program, it works for the guest experience, and it works for the long-term relationship between the hotel and the convention center.”
The south site is on the same street as the convention center, so guests wouldn’t have to cross a busy Third Street.
The proposal includes 200 guest rooms, a full-service restaurant, a rooftop bar, fitness center, meeting space, and lower levels with 250 parking spaces.
The site plan does not include the Seminary Pointe properties.
Demolition proposals and environmental reviews are being evaluated for the CIB’s August meeting.
The south site would negate the need for the proposed land swap of Seminary Pointe with College Square. Housing advocates hoped that plan would preserve Seminary Pointe as a land trust while the host hotel would be built at College Square north of the current convention center.
They saw it as a ‘win-win.’ The CIB gets a host hotel closer to the convention center and Seminary Pointe stays as affordable housing.
Read more: Protesters enter City Hall demanding solution for Seminary Pointe apartments
Residents spoke during public comment expressing dismay and worry about their grassroots efforts to save Seminary Pointe.
Commenter Matthew Joseph asked the CIB to have a formal negotiation process with the city for a College Square land swap next week.
“Will you join the community, the advocates, the RDC, the city council, the mayor's office, and our care for maintaining Seminary Point as a home for commercial and residential tenants at affordable rate?” he asked.
Listen to more: Ask The Mayor with Bloomington's Kerry Thomson
Earlier in the meeting, CIB member Jay Baer said he appreciates the housing advocates, but the CIB’s role is not to solve affordable housing.
“We certainly believe that affordable housing is a massive priority in this community. But there are many other places, and frankly, more appropriate bodies to solve that problem than the CIB,” he said.
The CIB’s next meeting is August 19th.
