Quote Originally Posted by MikeOKC View Post
I think Larry said it well before me, I just wanted to say that I don't think government handouts equate to "momentum." And that's what we're talking about here with this hotel. A $20,000,000.00 giveaway must not be construed as the only way we can continue the "momentum." Tax dollars to private business to help capitalize their private endeavors maybe had its place to jumpstart progress, but I fail to see how (to follow the analogy a few posts back) "continuing the medicine" does anything but addict the patient. Local government was never meant to be a piggy bank for hoteliers. The local stimulus that the people of this city provided with MAPS is enough. If business can't figure out how to make it from here without more handouts, then something is wrong with the whole idea of free markets. It either works - or it doesn't. It's funny how so many "conservatives" have accepted that the free market simply won't work in downtown Oklahoma City and that any "momentum" connected with anything private still requires giveaways. I appreciate the other argument, I just fundamentally disagree.
I find your debunking of the medical analogy an interesting exposure of your mind set. Like you assume we are creating junkies by offering insulin to diabetics, or blood pressure medicine to hypertensives.

I think some people are out of touch with what is actually happening to get deals done in the world and also think everyone in the world thinks as highly of OKC as we do ourselves. Because we are making progress doesn't mean we have arrived. Being competitive is still a requisite.

I also find it laughable that that people object to "handouts" yet have no clue how many companies in OKC are actually assisted in one way or another. I worked for many years for a manufacturing plant that moved to OKC with the help of bond monies that built their factory and put hundreds to work. Now, I guess the difference is that they aren't a "hotel", so it is justified. People get myopic I guess, and only consider the good "handouts" as ones they either don't know about or ones they benefit from.

Trust me, if OKC is such a slam dunk economically then the hotels won't need or want the handout. They don't want strings attached either. But if there aren't developers who come forward and we intend to compete, we will have to offer incentives. It is done every day.