TOLEDO – On Tuesday, Sept. 9, Lucas County Commissioners had a split two-to-one vote on appropriating funds towards the downtown hotels in which the county has a $38 million stake.
That $38 million has gone into the Hilton Garden Inn and the Homewood Suites, connected to the downtown convention center, The Glass City Center. And on Tuesday, Lucas County Commissioners voted to appropriate what Commissioner Pete Gerken called a $1.5 million “emergency fund” for the hotels.
“We have to protect the money that we have in it [the hotel], and it’s our job to protect our money,” Gerken said.
Clarifying the use of the funds, Gerken referred to the $1.5 million as available funds to ensure the hotel stays open during an upcoming event schedule at the convention center…