What's new: The Omaha City Council will vote July 27 on issuing up to $37 million in revenue bonds to add 150 rooms to the city-owned Hilton Omaha, after a public hearing Tuesday yielded no public concerns.
The details: A representative from consulting firm HVS Global Hospitality Services said at the hearing that the additional rooms would have helped bring two conventions to Omaha this year. Robert Watson, the hotel's general manager, said afterward that 25 such events could have been booked. Some council members challenged that disparity. Some council members also raised concerns about whether taxpayers might end up on the hook for the bonds used to fund the expansion, should the hotel not generate enough revenue. City Attorney Paul Kratz said financial safety measures, including a $3.9 million cash reserve, would ensure that taxpayers would never pay for the proposed bonds.
What we already knew: The Hilton Omaha expansion would cost $35 million and add 150 rooms, along with more parking and a large ballroom. Advocates say the expansion would make Omaha more competitive when vying for conventions and conferences. Opponents say the economy is not conducive to such projects and fear that taxpayers would be stuck with the tab. — Zack Colman
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