Tuesday night’s Anaheim City Council meeting will be another contentious one in regards to subsidies to support new 4-star luxury hotels in the Anaheim Resort. So far, what we have is the pro-hotel people saying the anti-hotel people are lying and the anti-hotel crowd is saying the pro-SOAR is lying.
Lots of stats flying around — the anti-hotel crowd says this will cost Anaheim $400 million, $500 million or $560 million and Anaheim’s annual fund is only $300 million; Someone needs to pick a number and then divide by 20 years because Anaheim’s tax base will certainly expand over the next 20 years and there’s no better way to help the middle class than provide good paying construction jobs in addition to the hotel jobs at a 4 star hotel you might not see at a 2 star or 3 star hotel. Additionally, there is no evidence at all these hotels would be built without the subsidy; I’d argue the presence of a subsidy is what is driving the plan forward. What the Disneyland resort lacks is the sort of 4 star accommodations that exist in Orlando. And the building/trades are certainly going to push the living wage or higher than living wage jobs that will be created.
Assembly speaker Anthony Rendon has weighed in on this issue and is in support for the Hotel subsidy plan:
July 12, 2016
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
City of Anaheim
200 South Anaheim Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805
RE: Support of Agenda Items 24, 25 and 26
Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council,
I am writing in full support of the proposed four diamond hotel applications under the Hotel Incentive Program that are on your agenda tonight, July 12, 2016; items 24, 25, and 26.
According to the city’s analysis, the three hotel projects combined will generate nearly $200 million in revenue over twenty years. Additionally, at least 15,000 construction and hospitality jobs will be created through these projects. These projects will have a direct benefit to Californians and because the private developers have reached an agreement with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, the projects will pay prevailing wage and include the hiring of local residents and veterans.
The benefits to the City of Anaheim and California are clear. Your support of these applications will only make our state and region stronger. It will bring more tourism in and more importantly create needed living wage jobs.
I respectfully request you give the proposed four diamond hotel applications under the Hotel Incentive Program Application full consideration. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (562) 529-3250.
Sincerely,
Anthony Rendon, Ph.D.
Speaker of the Assembly
Assemblymember, 63rd District
CC: City Manager Paul Emery
City Clerk Linda N. Andal
Expect a late night before the council gets around to voting for this.