First of all, this Pollard Hilton PR doesn't qualify as news.

Secondly, the city was lying about other local hotels and restaurants "benefiting" (particularly since the Hilton is making exactly zero effort in that regard, as explained below), Thirdly, if the Cowlitz complete their scam, the Pollard Hilton will become a ghost town, relatively speaking and, finally, the taxpayers of Clark County are STILL on the hook for 10's of millions for this unnecessary, unneeded boondoggle.



Local Hilton nears capacity

Thursday, July 21, 2005
By JEFFREY MIZE, Columbian staff writer

The Hilton Vancouver Washington hotel was at or near capacity Wednesday for the second night this week.

Gerry Link, the hotel's general manager, said several small meetings and summer travel were pushing the city-owned hotel toward its 226-room capacity, but he wasn't sure every room would be occupied Wednesday.

"It's a photo finish," Link said late Wednesday afternoon. "You could have that last guy not show."

During the multiyear battle to get the hotel-convention center built, city officials and other project backers predicted it would boost business for Clark County restaurants and stores, as well as for other hotels.

However, Hilton is steering some overflow business to Portland hotels and promoting only Portland restaurants on its Web site.

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