Moline's new Stoney Creek Inn opens with a bash
A good time was had by all at the promotional soiree held at Moline's newly completed Stoney Creek Inn 101 18th Street in Moline.
The northern lodge themed hotel, with a mix of pricy residential units and traditional hotel rooms, is located directly across from the Bass Street Landing and the Blue Ribbon restaurant.
Various movers and shakers and interested parties partied the night away with live music, free food and booze and big wigs with rented suites putting on the hospitality.
Stoney Creek is part of a chain and is a pretty large hotel. It will fill a need for hotel rooms in the downtown area and hopes are high for it's success.
A piece in the Dispatch notes a delegation from the Broken Arrow, OK, which has grown from 28th to 5th largest town in the state in the past 25 years, were invited to the event.
"You are 10 to 15 years ahead of us as far as downtown redevelopment," Jim Twombly, Broken Arrow, Okla., city manager, said.Well, I guess Moline's got that going for it.
If you haven't seen Stoney Creek yet, go give it a look. It's very nice. Particularly after several cocktails.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 11/19/2005
11 comments
11 Comments:
Why does the City spend money on a monument for Stan Leach? He's the reason we have high taxes and his replacement is no better...
They should have saved the $ for his award and put it towards the big bills we have in our City for new buildings.... Leach is a monument for big debt in Moline!
Diehard,
Hell yes I was there... with bells on. Didn't you see me swinging from the chandellier? Or did you leave too early?
And Anon 9:01...
Please try to stay on topic.
I assume you're comment is about Leach getting some sort of award recently.
If you start off commenting on a story that doesn't appear here, it leads to confusion.
If you have an issue or story which you'd like to see addressed or comment on, please let me know by sending an e-mail and directing me to the story.
And if you must comment about an off-topic subject, at the very least, please provide a link to the story you're commenting on for the benefit of other readers.
Thanks.
Here you go Dope...... It's relevant as that was part of the whole party you attended.... It's here for you cut and paste it from the recent Dispatch article on qconline.com (sorry I don't have the pictures):
Posted online: November 17, 2005 9:49 PM
Print publication date: November 18, 2005
Bass Street Landing’s Phase II finishes with celebration for all who made it possible
By Dawn Neuses, dneuses@qconline.com
Photo: Todd Mizener
Former Moline Mayor Stan Leach is all smiles as a monument honoring his service to the revitalization and redevelopment of Moline's historic downtown, and for his continued support of Renew Moline was unveiled Thursday evening in the fountain area of Bass Street Landing in Moline. Looking on are Chuck Ruhl, second from left, Jim Collins and Tom Robinson. The public dedication of the plaque was part of the ceremony celebrating the completion of Phase II of the Bass Street Landing project. Mr. Leach served as Mayor of Moline from 1993 to 2005. The celebration and dedication event started the grand opening festivities for the new Stoney Creek Inn across the street from the fountain area.
More photos from this shoot
Photo: Todd Mizener
Guests attending Thursday night's grand opening celebration for Stoney Creek Inn, Moline get ready for the ribbon cutting ceremony in the lobby of the new hotel at the Bass Street Landing in Moline.
More photos from this shoot
Woodland Gallery
Prospect park by John Bald
MOLINE -- To Mayor Don Welvaert, Bass Street Landing is all about people.
"People who dreamed, people who envisioned the possibilities," he said. "People who worked hard to construct this latest development and people who knew this dream could be achieved. Today, it is about a celebration of people gathering and enjoying this great community."
Community leaders, residents and visitors came together Thursday to celebrate the completion of phase II of Bass Street Landing, to dedicate a monument to former mayor Stan Leach and to get a first-hand view of Stoney Creek Inn.
More than $40 million in public and private dollars are being invested to redevelop Bass Street Landing, an area at the base of 17th Street and the Mississippi riverfront.
The monument, dedicated Thursday on the public plaza, pays tribute to Mr. Leach for his efforts in leading the community in the revitalization and redevelopment of the downtown and riverfront, and for his support of Renew Moline and the public-private partnership between the two entities.
Mr. Leach was mayor from 1993 to 2005.
"Through him a vision was created that brought new life to Moline's downtown and riverfront," Mayor Welvaert said.
"So many were involved in this. They are naming me, but so many others should get credit, too," Mr. Leach said.
Renew Moline executive director Jim Bowman reminded the crowd of about 100 that where they were standing used to be the site of the Arsenal bridge ramp, that the area used to be surrounded by dark buildings that were an eyesore and a public and environmental hazard.
At one time, the riverfront was also a site of blight and ruin, he said. But Thursday, those who attended the event were standing in an "urban showcase," he said.
He believes that showcase will continue to grow. Thursday's celebration focused on phase II of Bass Street, which included the new Stoney Creek Inn and Conference Center, completion of the access road that serves the city's water plant, improvements to the 2nd Avenue intersection, a sidewalk along 2nd Avenue and completion of 17th and 18th Streets.
Phase III includes construction of townhomes and condominiums north of the plaza and west of 17th Street, facing the river. Construction should begin next spring.
Phase I included building RiverStation, a mixed-use development featuring retail, restaurant, office and housing space, and a $1.3 million public plaza.
The celebration also kicked-off the grand opening of Stoney Creek Inn. The $10 million, four-story hotel has 140 rooms and a conference center that seats up to 500.
Jim Thompson, the inn's owner, said it was hard for him to believe that a little less than two years ago he was introduced to the vision of Bass Street Landing and Moline's riverfront. "I think we were hooked from the get-go," he said. "I think you'll share with me the confidence that it's a good fit with the community."
Ewwww. Thank goodness I didn't get there in time to witness that stuff. That is pretty distasteful, but what do you expect when Leach enriched these people so much? They'd be downright ungrateful if they didn't give him some sort of ego-boosting taste of immortality, wouldn't they?
At any rate, thanks for the stories, but in the future, refrain from posting entire articles, let alone two or three.
Just a link or source and maybe a short synopsis will do.
Thanks.
I wanted to do the link Dope, but the Dispatch makes you pay for any of their stories after they are run --- hence you could not have seen the piece without a paid subscription. That's why I put it out for you all!
I wanted to share my knowledge.
I assume you read the piece in the print edition of the Dispatch then?
I see your problem, and thanks for sharing it. But perhaps in the future you could send the articles to me in e-mail and I could search out the original story on-line or simply give it it's own post.
do get a tad surly when hanging with guys with tassles on their loafers and their necks bulging over the collar of their light blue oxford cloth button down shirts.
It can go either way, depending on if their attitude or manner just bugs the hell out of me or not.
And if it gets a little slow, they are fun to play with.
Just give 'em a great big shi* eating grin, pump their hand, given 'em the old "damn glad to meet ya" routine, make eye contact and appear facinated with them. Listen intently to everything they say, and then when the moment's right, put your hand on their shoulder, lean in, and say, "I'm sorry, but the drugs are starting to wear off. Would you excuse me?", and after they stammer something, just walk away.
Stuff like that.
A thought: For those of you with a less than glowing opinion of former Mayor Leach, instead of letting the idea of a monument to him give you heart-burn, perhaps it would help to consider it a sort of tombstone for his era?
Dope, I have to say that Stan Leach sickens me. Plus I was watching KWQC the other night and the anchor made reference to "Leach Park" in Moline.....when did we approve that cost???
So now do you see why I am ready to barf? Seems our hard earned tax dollars are going to put the guy on the pedastal who put me into debt --- and smiled the whole 12 years he was mayor voting this in-- and the new guy seems just the same.... business as usual. What happened to our surplus in Moline -- ? Is it with the National surplus - down the drain??
The process to raise our property tax and our sewer rates is at step one tonight at Moline City hall. Go there and speak out personally if you disagree!!
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