Gary Matthews has pulled a fast one over the City of Peoria. From the Journal Star: “Management of the Marriott Pere Marquette and Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown Peoria might be changing soon. The reasons and ramifications are unclear.
“EM Properties, the developer of the hotels, is seeking City Council approval for the management switch from Marriott International Inc. to First Hospitality Group, a company based in Rosemont. A memorandum City Manager Patrick Urich sent Friday to council members and to Mayor Jim Ardis outlined the request.
“On Saturday, the Journal Star received copies of the memo and a letter dated April 30 from EM Properties’ St. Louis-based attorney. According to those documents, the hotels still are to carry the Marriott name.
“First Hospitality Group is not exactly a fly-by-night group. They manage a bunch of other Marriotts, including a SpringHill Suites in Peoria. But a Marriott managed hotel was what we were promised, and that’s NOT when we’re getting after coughing up a $29 million bond and a $7 million loan to get this project off the ground.
The city isn’t getting any answers from EM Properties boss Mathews. No doubt the reason is because Matthews thinks he can make $5 more this way than by following the plan he agreed to.
And when THIS hotel fails to bring in the big name concerts and conventions to the Peoria Civic Center, the powers-that-be can blame it all on the management chain. TIME TO BUILD A NEW HOTEL!
Bye, bye Chief Settingsgaard
I got a tip, and I got it confirmed overnight. Caterpillar Inc. is hiring a new head of security and Settingsgaard applied for the job. And yes, Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard was hired for the gig. His last day with Peoria is June 15.
Actually, I debated telling readers on my blog. Because I didn’t want to do anything that could screw up his getting hired away from the chief’s job.
At first blush, I would have to wonder how in the HELL Settingsgaard gets hired at Caterpillar. Their hiring standards are much, much higher than Peoria City Hall’s. And Settingsgaard brings several suitcases of bad publicity with him.
But a source says that Caterpillar is deeply annoyed at the bad publicity Twittergate has brought to their hometown and might see hiring Settingsgaard as a way to bring that to an end.
And it goes without saying that replacing Jim Ardis as mayor would be the other way to bring it to an end. But Ardis lacks not governmental job prospects (especially now that he’s been vilified by Twittergate).
What the HELL do you need four shotguns for, anyway?
Oh, lord. From the Peoria Journal Star:
“Four shotguns were reported stolen Friday night or Saturday morning from a home undergoing repairs.
“The weapons were in a bedroom closet of 1807 N. Linn St. when the occupant left for the night about 5:00 p.m. Friday. When he returned about 9:20 a.m. Saturday, the guns were gone, along with a television that was in the same bedroom.”
You know, I’m all for the right to own guns. The zombie apocalypse IS coming, you know. But methinks that if you own FOUR SHOTGUNS, it’s time to buy a gun safe.