"Plum" Convention but No Overflow Hotel Business

Rick Gray is very influential in the PA League of Cities. It was announced in the newspaper last year that Gray was working to get their convention in Lancaster for 2009. (Editor's note: The date has indeed been booked.)

LCCCA Executive director Kevin Molloy said he expects that it will be 10 to 15 years before the PA League of Cities would return to Lancaster. Chairman [and former Lancaster mayor] Art Morris stated he, as past president of the League, believes they will return in five.

The newspaper article noted the PA League of Cities convention will require 200 hotel rooms. Since the Penn Square Partner's Marriott Hotel will have 300 rooms, this means there will be no overflow rooms needed.

At a recent Convention Center Authority committee meeting, Josh Nowak of Interstate Hotels admitted there are no events yet booked that will require any lodging beyond the Marriott. So much for the many repeated promises (lies) made to Lancaster taxpayers [and to the hoteliers throughout the County when the hotel room tax was enacted].