Placerville contemplating hotel development
By Cathy Locke, Sacramento Bee
Seeking to add momentum to a decade-long push for hotel development in Placerville, the City Council on Tuesday will consider soliciting proposals from consultants to perform a hotel feasibility study.
The city over the years has studied and approved three sites for hotel development. Construction began on one site at the east end of town, considered the gateway to Apple Hill, but work was halted due to the recession.
Placerville is the hub for visitors headed to El Dorado County’s wineries, orchards and historic gold country, but businesses and growers say efforts to boost tourism are hindered by a lack of lodging.
Placerville as a vacation destination: Great idea. Guided tours into the woods to visit the rednecks – ballistic vests supplied. Go tape a County supervisor’s meeting – try your hand at re-making “Mad, mad, mad, mad, world;” you think professional comedy is funny, look at what amateurs can do. Hang out at the Hangman’s Tree, a little culture never hurt anyone.
Why is a city considering building a hotel? If it were feasible, shouldn’t a private entity be suggesting and promoting it? Governments prove over and over again how bad they are at business. And they’re playing with other people’s money when they do it! People who have very little choice in the matter!
If there is an investor, I think a “lodge” or smaller-type hotel would be successful, and would demonstrate whether more tourist accommodations would be viable. Look at Sutter Creek…. a cute town & gateway to lots of wine-tasting. Placerville is gateway to Hwy 49 destinations, the Farm Trails of Apple Hill, and close to the wine-tasting region of Fair-Play and Pleasant Valley. I think it’s a great idea. Rednecks are everywhere – lots in SLT. Smart development might bring in smart business & residents to Placerville, who might bring some brains to the Board of Supervisors. Think positive!
Several historic buildings are and have been renovated with private capital the way it should be in town. There are also plenty of nice and modern hotel rooms west of the city now and another brand new big one being finished near Costco in Folsom. People like to drive up to Apple Hill for the day from many areas, overnight is another story and there may not be the need as imagined or else the corporate world would be building it. This reminds me of the push to develop Meyers with no citizen support for what is proposed.
Dog-
Ready-Fire-Aim!
The city is not wanting to build a hotel. They’d like to know what the realities of marketing are so they could groom an investor.