"Thomas Jefferson said a democracy is dependent on an informed citizenry. I don't care whether it sounds corny or not. It's the truth." -Jim Lehrer
Carefree Truth
Issue #1099, July 19, 2024
Issue #1099, July 19, 2024
Diane Roth: Your constant criticisms, which you also communicate in your advertising, are factually incorrect or deliberately misleading. Either way, the evidence doesn’t suggest that I should or can Trust you!
Let’s review one of your constant criticism areas: You have constantly criticized the design of the Hampton Inn in downtown Carefree. You have stated “We were promised a small boutique hotel . . .” and “instead, we got an unsightly airport motel.”
Where did that come from? No one ever promised a “small, boutique hotel in that location.” That statement was pure fabrication. The Hampton Inn built in Carefree is 99% identical to the drawings submitted by the developer and approved by P&Z and the Town Council. Go to the Town Offices and look at the drawings still on file. These drawings were on display in the lobby of the Town Offices for three months, displayed at every Town meeting discussing this project for over a year, and communicated to residents via newspapers and the internet.
The project was welcomed because it promised to add vibrancy and bring additional business to the downtown businesses, many of which were struggling. Other developers during the 20+ years that this property had sat undeveloped engaged in discussions with the Town, but none of them could put all of the pieces together. The Hampton Inn, which was initially slated for downtown Cave Creek, was a welcomed addition to the downtown Carefree area which was in a state of deterioration. No one objected or offered any alternative design suggestions. No one objected when the project came up for final approval. Residents who expressed an opinion were happy to see the addition of the Hampton Inn to Carefree. In retrospect, the Hampton Inn has proven to be one of the factors in restoring vibrancy and excitement to the downtown area, as we all had hoped.
Where were you during this time? What facts do you have supporting your criticisms and misstatements? Isn’t it somewhat late - years after the design and construction of the Hampton Inn, years after it is operating at levels above their ownership’s going-in occupancy projections, and with the downtown Carefree area more vibrant and with increased residents and tourists visiting the area - for you to come forward and make negative, unsupported criticisms?
Let’s continue discussing the comments you have made regarding the Hampton Inn. You refer to it as an “. . . unsightly airport motel”. You have suggested that the Town should have insisted upon a higher-end, more luxurious hotel. But you have been in retail, so ask yourself: Would a high-end hotel developer be eager to invest in a property in a deteriorating downtown area with several properties, like Los Portales Mall and Warren Plaza, which were in such apparent need of repairs and upkeep, to the point that they appeared to be abandoned? History and experience suggest that this is not how high-end hotel developers proceed with their developments. Maybe in the future, this could have been a possibility, with the continued revitalization of the downtown Carefree area, but certainly not in the state it was in when the Hampton Inn was approved for development.
But that brings up another pertinent consideration and a suggestion. You continuously criticize the Hampton Inn, but you seem to be acquainted with the owner of Los Portales Mall and Warren Plaza, the two properties in downtown Carefree mentioned in the preceding paragraph. A suggestion would be that you, rather than continuously criticizing the Hampton Inn, encourage this owner to improve the appearance of these two properties. That could be a meaningful next step in continuing the revitalization of downtown Carefree.
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list. Please support our Carefree merchants.
Let’s review one of your constant criticism areas: You have constantly criticized the design of the Hampton Inn in downtown Carefree. You have stated “We were promised a small boutique hotel . . .” and “instead, we got an unsightly airport motel.”
Where did that come from? No one ever promised a “small, boutique hotel in that location.” That statement was pure fabrication. The Hampton Inn built in Carefree is 99% identical to the drawings submitted by the developer and approved by P&Z and the Town Council. Go to the Town Offices and look at the drawings still on file. These drawings were on display in the lobby of the Town Offices for three months, displayed at every Town meeting discussing this project for over a year, and communicated to residents via newspapers and the internet.
The project was welcomed because it promised to add vibrancy and bring additional business to the downtown businesses, many of which were struggling. Other developers during the 20+ years that this property had sat undeveloped engaged in discussions with the Town, but none of them could put all of the pieces together. The Hampton Inn, which was initially slated for downtown Cave Creek, was a welcomed addition to the downtown Carefree area which was in a state of deterioration. No one objected or offered any alternative design suggestions. No one objected when the project came up for final approval. Residents who expressed an opinion were happy to see the addition of the Hampton Inn to Carefree. In retrospect, the Hampton Inn has proven to be one of the factors in restoring vibrancy and excitement to the downtown area, as we all had hoped.
Where were you during this time? What facts do you have supporting your criticisms and misstatements? Isn’t it somewhat late - years after the design and construction of the Hampton Inn, years after it is operating at levels above their ownership’s going-in occupancy projections, and with the downtown Carefree area more vibrant and with increased residents and tourists visiting the area - for you to come forward and make negative, unsupported criticisms?
Let’s continue discussing the comments you have made regarding the Hampton Inn. You refer to it as an “. . . unsightly airport motel”. You have suggested that the Town should have insisted upon a higher-end, more luxurious hotel. But you have been in retail, so ask yourself: Would a high-end hotel developer be eager to invest in a property in a deteriorating downtown area with several properties, like Los Portales Mall and Warren Plaza, which were in such apparent need of repairs and upkeep, to the point that they appeared to be abandoned? History and experience suggest that this is not how high-end hotel developers proceed with their developments. Maybe in the future, this could have been a possibility, with the continued revitalization of the downtown Carefree area, but certainly not in the state it was in when the Hampton Inn was approved for development.
But that brings up another pertinent consideration and a suggestion. You continuously criticize the Hampton Inn, but you seem to be acquainted with the owner of Los Portales Mall and Warren Plaza, the two properties in downtown Carefree mentioned in the preceding paragraph. A suggestion would be that you, rather than continuously criticizing the Hampton Inn, encourage this owner to improve the appearance of these two properties. That could be a meaningful next step in continuing the revitalization of downtown Carefree.
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list. Please support our Carefree merchants.