In his most recent diatribe, Mr. Rogers makes the following assertion:

The Republican Party has squawked at the assertion Steve Kozachik opposes building the Convention Center Hotel, apparently forgetting that he held a press conference to say: Stop building the convention center hotel. The owners of the biggest event in The Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase promised to leave the gem show if Tucson followed Kozachik’s advice.

Jeff, you’re right. I do object to this mayor and council obligating the taxpayers of our city to a risky real estate deal that includes a $63 million negative cash flow until at least 2017, requires 72% occupancy @ $185 p/night to even start to tip that cash flow in the right direction, takes 8% site specific taxes from the general fund, and all $189 million in bonding is back stopped by the citizen’s of Tucson if/when the hotel fails to meet those goals – and all of those data “require reassessment” if there is not a newly remodeled TCC and a new arena. Given that your council and mayor have squandered over $91 million in Rio Nuevo cash over the past 4 years on nothing that the Gem Show Operators care about, it’s odd that you are now taking the side of Mayor Walkup when he states that “after the first of the year we will consider if we can afford the hotel, and how we can finance it.” And it’s interesting that you’re taking the side of Nina Trasoff when she states that “we will not move forward unless all research indicates the hotel model will be successful.” What part of that model looks to be ‘successful’ to you, Mr. Rogers?
Mr Rogers, in my neighborhood we understand the fiscal mismanagement that this represents. We understand that had the M&C done the TCC remodel (announced today @ $38 million) in the past 4 years instead of the frivolous non-revenue generating projects on which they elected to spend our money, the Gem Show operators wouldn’t be threatening to leave. And in my neighborhood we see through the transparent ploy of redoing a parking lot entryway @ yet another $15 million of taxpayers money in a lame attempt to show the Gem Show Operators that M&C finally ‘get it.’ Mr. Rogers, won’t you be my neighbor and join me in speaking out against this foolish waste of taxpayer money, in support of a hotel pro forma that doesn’t pencil out, and wait for the Guaranteed Maximum Price that the Garfield Traub management has yet to produce before obligating my other neighbors for nearly $200 million in debt?

Come on, Jeff. You’re smarter than that.