The OnCenter Complex, located in the middle of downtown Syracuse, is a major source of income for Onondaga County. However, it lacks one element that is found in almost any other complex center: a hotel.“Having no OnCenter hotel diminishes its popularity”, Onondaga County Executive, Joanne Mahoney said.
The idea for the hotel was proposed at a New York State Development Corporation public hearing by former Onondaga County Executive, Nicholas Pirro, in 2006.
The hotel was a planned $100 million, 365 room, four-star hotel, set to be run by the Westin hotel chain and built by Rochester-based developer, Thomas Wilmot.
Two and a half years later, the hotel has not been built.
The most recent problem is the current economic situation; no one wants to provide the $56 million construction loan that is needed to start the project.
Mahoney has the hotel slated as a “shovel-ready” project, meaning the county would be ready to start work, should they get the necessary funding.
Though Mahoney is being patient with the hotel, she has to stay open to other ideas.
“I think we have to have some Plan B started”, Mahoney said. “I’ve asked people to go back and turn a concept into a proposal and we’ll consider it”.
Picture from: http://www.hb2009.org/assets/uploads/G-oncenter.jpg
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