TO THE EDITOR:

Regarding the city’s consideration of a new hotel as proposed by Don French of the SOMATA group LLC: such development should be left to private enterprise.

If French and his group are unable to come up with the financing, then one should certainly question the viability of the project.

On the remote chance that the city should go forward, then they certainly should do three things: 1. have an independent feasibility study made to determine the viability; 2. have an accountant’s review of SOMATA’s financial records, including tax returns, P&L statements and balance sheets for the last three years; and 3. have a business/ marketing plan.

If the city is going to act like a bank then they should have the same requirements as a bank. How you do commercial development is not by banking someone else’s project without due diligence.

DAVE OLMSTEAD