1675-5 New Hotels .r-
mh94 CARLTON PRAISED FOR LEAD IN HOTEL GAMBLE 03/10/1994
THE MIAMI HERALD
Copyright (c) 1994, The Miami Herald
DATE: Thursday, March 10, 1994 EDITION: FINAL
SECTION: NEIGHBORS MB PAGE: 3 LENGTH: 55 lines
ILLUSTRATION: photo: Miguel Rodriguez with Jonathan Tisch and Bruce
Ratner, City Manager Roger CARLTON.
SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: FRAN BRENNAN Herald Staff Writer
MEMO: REVERIE NEARS REALITY
CARLTON PRAISED FOR LEAD IN HOTEL GAMBLE
or Miami Beach city commissioners, the eight bids for a convention center
hotel mean they can breathe easier. They took a gamble, spending millions on
land before they had a commitment
from a developer.
The proposals are a clear victory for City Manager Roger Carlton, who
fought long and hard to get the commission to agree to offer $60 million in
incentives, including oceanfront land and city-backed financing.
"I think for him professionally, it's a tremendous step -- that he has
succeeded where no one else has even reached that plateau in almost three
decades, " Mayor Seymour Gelber said. "He's in a pretty euphoric state right
now."
In his two years in office, Carlton has made the convention hotel one of
his top priorities -- often to the dismay of commissioners who felt he
shortchanged more pressing problems, such as parking.
Last month, Gelber insisted Carlton take on the added responsibilities of
running the parking department after director Ray ,Schaeffer abruptly resigned.
But Gelber and other commissioners Tuesday praised Carlton's dedication
to the hotel project and said they owed him a good deal of credit.
"I think the success to date of the process is a reflection on Roger, "
Commissioner Neisen Kasdin said. "I think I was the most skeptical of this
project. But he has been persistent and has persevered and has pulled the
commission along on this program. And it seems now to be heading in the right
direction. He should be able to rightfully have some satisfaction from the
response. "
The city's legal department is examining the bids, delivered Monday to
City Hall, to determine whether each has met the city's criteria for
proposals. Once that is resolved, Carlton will appoint a selection committee
to help decide which plan -- or plans -- the city should accept.
Carlton said he expects to appoint between seven and nine people, local
and national, from a variety of areas of expertise. The city has 90 days for
the selection process. Carlton said he expected to sign a contract by the end
of the year for the hotel at 16th Street and Collins Avenue.
But he stopped short of taking credit for the project's apparent success.
"I think it was an extraordinary two years that have now come to
completion, " Carlton said. "The process has been an extraordinary one. I can
only accept the role of quarterback. There were dozens of people on this
process. The community really deserves to pat itself on the back."
cutlines
CARL JUSTE / Miami Herald Staff
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