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How Much is Too Much? According to the LCCCA's "Sources and Uses" document dated March 27, 2007, The anticipated cost of the proposed hotel and convention center is now $169,781,172 The LCCCA has borrowed $63,920,000 for 40 years in "variable rate 7-day demand bonds" using a risky "interest rate swap" Total anticipated cost of the proposed convention center: $97,507,456 Total anticipated State grants for the proposed convention center: $15,000,000 Total anticipated cost of the proposed "private" hotel: $72,273,716 Total anticipated State grants for the proposed "private" hotel: $37,273,717 The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster has borrowed $14,523,716 from Fulton Bank to help build the "private" hotel, to be repaid by an anticipated $1 million each year in State Act 23/TIF funds which are guaranteed by Lancaster City taxpayers Penn Square Partners has a commitment from Wachovia Bank to borrow $24 million, which is to be repaid by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster from "lease payments" made by the Penn Square Partners on the City-owned hotel building The issuer of the LCCCA bonds is Wachovia Bank, which has obtained a lien on all proceeds from the "hotel tax" for 40 years. Since the LCCCA bonds are so speculative, Wachovia Bank has provided an additional guarantee for the County-backed bonds at the cost of an additional 0.95% fee, and for the rest of the bonds at an additional 1.25% fee. These guarantees could total $6.5 million or more over the term of the bonds. Without these guarantees, the LCCCA's bonds would have been given a "junk" rating. |
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