Mark Barrett of the Asheville Citizen-Times has uncovered intel on the conclusion of all those closed sessions hotelier attorneys have been having with the City of Asheville. The hoteliers have decided to drop their lawsuit against the city for selling city land to McKibbon Hotel Group well below market rate. The former plaintiffs argued the offender was providing a public subsidy to their competition. The sale follows the city’s decision made years ago to sell surplus real estate to developers with proposals consistent with council’s “strategic” operating goals. Reasons for dropping the lawsuit were not printed. It just felt good to hear somebody else saying corporate welfare subsidizes somebody else’s comptetitors.
by Leslee Kulba
Wild West blogger