Lot 10 (former flea market) lot info from Michael Weisner This explains so much. Long but worth it. Please read. Shared with his permission Mayor and Council of Salisbury, The proposed hotel and conventions center in downtown Salisbury has been in the news lately, with the developer threatening to kill this project if they do not receive the proceeds of a $4 million state grant. The hotel is to be built on what was Parking Lot 10, which is better known as the location of a weekend flea market. This lot contained 217 parking spaces and approximately 3 acres, with an assessed value of $1,702,900. The City declared this parking lot surplus property and put it up for sale. Two offers were received. At a special meeting held in 2023, the City turned down a $500,000 bid from an out-of-state company but accepted a $75,000 bid from the local developer who built the Ross student housing. Additionally, the City applied for a state infrastructure grant of $4 million to assist in developing a hotel/convention center, since this would aid economic development of downtown Salisbury. The developer now says if they do not receive the full $4 million grant, the hotel project will not proceed. State funded grants must be used for the purposes to which they were approved. It is up to the developer to work within the parameters of the grant. The City is also required to ensure that these funds are used as intended. If the developer meets the specifications of the grant application, they get the funds. If not, they aren’t eligible to receive these funds. For the developer to say, give me the full $4 million or we walk away from the hotel project, is not how grants work. Even if the developer receives the full $4 million grant monies, there is no guarantee that a hotel/convention center will be built. The developer is already threatening to cancel this project now, so what would prevent them from doing so in the future? All the discussion about development of Lot 10 has revolved around the construction of a hotel/conference center. However, the contract of sale for this property states “The buyer’s intended development plan shall either include multifamily apartment housing, office space, hotels, restaurant, ground level retail, storm water management facilities, parking structures, or other code compliment uses, or a combination of the aforementioned development types.” A hotel is just one of many uses that this land can be used for. The deed, signed by the City, contains no restrictions on what can be built on the land it sold. And what happens if the developer decides not to build a hotel? The developer still retains ownership to the 3 acres for only a fraction of its value and keeps whatever grant monies they receive to cover their own expenses. And being located in downtown, a hotel or residential apartments also qualify for 20 years of property tax credits under the Horizon program. There needs to be accountability on the developer to deliver on their promise to build a hotel/conference center. So far, it has only been words. Without a written agreement, the City ends up without a hotel/convention center and without a valuable parking lot which it sold for pennies on the dollar. But the developer keeps the land, the $4 million grant and retains the right to build whatever will yield them the greatest profit. A new hotel/convention center would be a wonderful addition to downtown Salisbury. The Mayor and Council should work with the developer to facilitate its construction. But the City also needs to protect the public interest and ensure that it receives what has been promised. And a hotel/conventions center is what was promised. Michael C. Weisner
Why does all this stink so bad ? So if all goes wrong, the developer gets to keep the property and up to 4 million dollars. The property is worth 1.7 million. City turns down 500k. Willing to sell for 75k just because they built the Ross building. There really isn’t anything attractive about visiting downtown. So you want to put up a hotel/conventions center on 3 acres ? Sounds like trying to put 10 pounds of crap into a 5 pound bag. Right now the traffic in that area really sucks and with a hotel there, you think it is going to get better ? Why not use the empty land across from the civic center ? It’s flat, it’s larger than 3 acres, it’s available.
This almost sounds like the debacle the city went through with the old headquarters company. The city didn’t want to sell it at full price because they didn’t like the individual who wanted to purchase it so they basically gave it away.
Don’t fund the project, do not proceed, nobody wants this except for the developer. It is not surplus. Lots of people really look forward to browsing fle markets. It is a time and place many see as relaxation for customers as well as the vendors. Don’t take away one of the few things so many in Salisbury look forward too. Let that developer find land somewhere else, and go for it with 100% of his own money. Who is in line for a kick back from this deal? Salisbury is better than this letting this corruption get by.
Tear down the civic center and put it there!
These so called grant writers make big money. The actual grant money doesn’t get spent on the actual project. It goes for the high up salaries and given to find jobs for family members or friends. Making up jobs and wasting money. Non profit businesses need to be audited.
JOE put this back on top of the feed for a day or two .
Is there anything in writing that stipulates it must be a hotel/conference centre? Is the city going to require a bond guaranteeing the work is completed? Does the developer have financing lined up to complete the project? Greater Salisbury committee and others are all rah rah on this, but have they actually looked at the details to make sure what is being promised will be built?
I agree with you. The city of Salisbury ” The Cross Roads of Delmarva ” is just that, a four way intersection of route 50 and route 13. Does anybody think that if the city was to build conversance / convention center, that people will come. NOPE !!!! They are going to head to O.C. Does Salisbury need another hotel ? What are the occupancy rates of the hotels here now ? This is just going to be another boondoggle / pork project. A new sign should be erected when entering the city. The City of Salisbury – Nothing To See Here, Nothing To Do Here,
The City of Salisbury – Were Not A Tourist Attraction.
The City of Salisbury – We Can’t Compete With Ocean City.
The City of Salisbury – Thanks For Passing Through. Please Arrive Safe to Your True Destination.
We are a 3rd world city with lots of bums illegals and drugs and free $hit!
Salisbury leadership…building your slums of tomorrow today and laughing all the way to the bank. The Ross is one of the most hideous looking apartments I’ve seen. How much more “free” aka tax dollars can be thrown their way?
I can tell you years ago – The Police delivered meeting notes to the City Council members. This certain City Council member new of the bypass coming (WHICH DESTROYED SALISBURY). He dropped from City Council, bought up a bunch of cheap farmland and sold it to the state for millions. This farmland happened to be the path of the bypass, insider info. That same person has made money off the city for years and get praised for it.
Salisbury has a swamp – and its deep. You use to call it good old boys, but its not, its just a deep ass swamp. Another Mayor’s family bought a swamp that McDonalds had to be moved from because it was sinking, they sold the property back adn built a firehouse there.
PEOPLE – If you want accountability in politics – you have to audit all and their family. You have to put rules up they can not make ANY insider deals. We talk about not having slavery, we are slaves to these people and that will not change until people have had enough of the taxes, and thieves that run the positions they are in.
Are swamps good or bad?
Far from being useless, disease-ridden places, wetlands provide values that no other ecosystem can. These include natural water quality improvement, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation and natural products for our use at no cost.
Salisbury is not a swamp. Swamps are good for the environment.
Salisbury is more like a septic tank. We pay to pump it out every election year but it keeps being filled up by the same old CRAP. ( good ole boys network of stupidity )
The Good-ole-boy system at it’s best! They should change the name of Salisbury to Gillis-Gilkerson ville.
No high paying jobs, grocery stores are pos., the mall is worthless, homeless problem, high crime but is hidden from people buying homes. So ask yourself who is wanting to come to this area. All I see is a lot of illegals which our tax payers money is paying for. You go to Sams and carts filled up to the ceiling with free food women pregnant as good be. This is Joe Bidens world.