pat Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 This writer makes no sense. Hotel rooms were given up at Quaker Square as a result of there being no market for them. This started back in 2007 by then owner Jay Nausbaum. The lack of downtown hotel usage did not cause problems for the convention bureau. The lack of convention business caused the lack of need for downtown hotel rooms. UA taking over Quaker Square was an effect not a cause. If all of these people think otherwise, then why didn't we seeing them lining up to buy QS at the time it was being shut down by Nausbaum "Downtown with students After reading the article about the University of Akron converting the remaining rooms at Quaker Square Inn to student housing, I wonder if it will buy the convention center, too (“UA to take last public hotel rooms,” March 27)? After all of the hotel rooms are gone, there is absolutely no need for our downtown convention center. It is no wonder that our convention bureau is having major problems bringing in out-of-town convention guests. Recently, the city announced that a developer would remodel the apartments inside the Mayflower Manor. I wonder if these rooms will be for students? Student housing is being built on Exchange and Sherman streets. When will enough be enough? Let’s just call the downtown Akron area “The City of Akron U.” Johnnie Hannah Akron" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 "City of Akron U"...pretty disrespectful. I've noticed a lot of Akronites call Akron "Akron U". The city wouldnt be what it is without the ~30000 students who attend the University and bring business to the city. The Ramada is still located downtown, and close to the Convention center at that. Im sure the people the Convention center are targeting would rather stay at the Ramada instead of being mixed in with students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 "City of Akron U"...pretty disrespectful. I've noticed a lot of Akronites call Akron "Akron U". The city wouldnt be what it is without the ~30000 students who attend the University and bring business to the city. The Ramada is still located downtown, and close to the Convention center at that. Im sure the people the Convention center are targeting would rather stay at the Ramada instead of being mixed in with students. Like a lot of cities, Akron's hotel space is in the suburbs anyhow. Montrose, Stow, Wadsworth, Green, Copley, Can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Like a lot of cities, Akron's hotel space is in the suburbs anyhow. Montrose, Stow, Wadsworth, Green, Copley, Can't. The Falls as well. I can see the want to stay downtown, however. But I also understand there isnt a large demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 "City of Akron U"...pretty disrespectful. I've noticed a lot of Akronites call Akron "Akron U". The city wouldnt be what it is without the ~30000 students who attend the University and bring business to the city. The Ramada is still located downtown, and close to the Convention center at that. Im sure the people the Convention center are targeting would rather stay at the Ramada instead of being mixed in with students. Exactly! As I've always said. Downtown could not exist without The University of Akron, but The University of Akron can do just fine without downtown. It's not the symbiotic relationship many Akronites including the mayor and ABJ try to contrive it to be. Their destinies are not "inseparably linked" as the Anti-University of Akron Beacon Journal once decreed! BTW, while the terminology comes off as disrespectful, the concept of "the City of Akron U" is a good thing not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I know the city has aspirations. But, I've been puzzled for a long time by the desire to add downtown hotel space in Akron when the business isn't there. Now they appear even more desperate to build something when the need is moving in the other direction? Sure sounds like a "cart before the horse" scenario to me. If the U of A was getting enough requests for those public rooms, I'm sure they wouldn't have moved towards turning that into dorm space. Wouldn't the nightly income far exceed a dorm room rental? I don't like not having good downtown hotel space in a city like Akron. But, until the need grows again, I'll be surprised if the "investors" make any major moves to make that happen, regardless of the city's aspirations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziptrumpet87 Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I wonder if some of it was the managing company just did not want to deal with it and sent the business to their other (more profitable?) properties? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Akron doesn't need a convention center. Akron can draw small trade shows and those shows can be held in Cuyahoga Falls or at the hotel by the Winking Lizard as they require a large ballroom and some meeting rooms. A regional home show or other type of professional show with about 65 exhibitors are good fits for the existing spaces. I love Akron, but it needs a convention center like Miami needs a snowmobile course. Identity is important and it is important to know what you are and to get good at what you are. Never try to pretend you are something you aren't or you will never be successful. The identity of Akron is not a convention town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted April 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Akron doesn't need a convention center. Akron can draw small trade shows and those shows can be held in Cuyahoga Falls or at the hotel by the Winking Lizard as they require a large ballroom and some meeting rooms. A regional home show or other type of professional show with about 65 exhibitors are good fits for the existing spaces. I love Akron, but it needs a convention center like Miami needs a snowmobile course. Identity is important and it is important to know what you are and to get good at what you are. Never try to pretend you are something you aren't or you will never be successful. The identity of Akron is not a convention town. Good points and you will have to convince the mayor and his syncophants to get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Good points and you will have to convince the mayor and his syncophants to get over it. They can't. If they didn't do things like this, people would realize they can't do anything other than make people flee living the city with high tax rates in an effort to fix a school system that can't be fixed with higher taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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