After repeatedly failing to meet their own deadlines for a solution to the Hotel Utica problem the Roefaro administration says things are going to change. And they really, really, really mean it this time:
Commissioner of Urban and Economic development Robert Sullivan says we can soon expect to hear some solutions to Hotel Utica's ongoing financial struggles.
The hotel owes more than $6 million on a loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and thousands in city taxes.
While the management for the hotel says they are working on payments, the city says it is been carrying a burden of the costs.
City officials say they will work with the owners to keep it afloat because closing up a downtown building is not a good option.
Keeping the Hotel Utica afloat isn't a solution- it's the problem. We've already spent millions of taxpayer dollars propping it up. Hopefully the planned "solution" includes finding a buyer that's willing to take it off our hands for less than it would cost us to keep subsidizing the current operation.
