Technically, it's round 4 for the Hilton corporation's bid for the parking management agreement.
Branson Alderman Jack Purvis played the voice of reason. A free parking garage next to Reish sits next to the pay-to-park facility Hilton is bidding for. Purvis stated during round 2 that he'd walk a mile to avoid paying. Obviously, thirty feet is a trivial distance for most. The problem is that downtown building owners paid for the Reish garage through a Neighborhood Improvement District (NID). The NID was approved through a vote and required downtown businesses, who are on a serious financial downswing, to pay a tax based on the value of their buildings to build the parking facility. This is going to be a thorn in the side of Hilton who doesn't want anything to do with the free facility.
Branson Alderwoman Sandra Williams was the stickler ready to take Hilton to the mat on contractual terms. It was a good show as Williams proved she could weed through the 53 page proposal to spot "tricky terms". For instance, the Hilton will demand the city of Branson wave its right to a jury trial. Typically, Branson doesn't score well with the 38th District, but it's an interesting term.
Here's how the deal works. A nice chunk of funds head towards the Hilton (let's say 250k). If something is needed at the facility - say a lightbulb - Hilton will charge the city for an employee to walk over and change the bulb. The city pays for the lightbulb and how much time it takes for the employee to walk over. With four different facilities it ends up being a bit of a challenge.
