Source:WHNT19
For the video, click on the Melissa Stephens reports link.
Two members of the Backstreet Boys rolled into Huntsville Thursday.
While Kevin Richardson makes time to visit children in Huntsville
Hospital, his primary intent is no secret. "Well, we're here to keep
negotiations and talks going with the city about the hotel and
entertainment complex for downtown Huntsville," Richardson said.
Huntsville City Councilman Bill Kling says while the city is not
ready to negotiate at this point, leaders are very interested in the
idea. "More hotel rooms adjacent to the Von Braun Center help attract
bigger conventions to Huntsville. That means big money for the city,
so we won't have to raise taxes anymore for the residents," Kling
said. "We're taking proposals and we wanna get the best deal we can."
The Memphis-based Peabody Hotel Company, behind Backstreet Boys Howie
Dorough and Kevin Richardson, is just one of eight companies who have
submitted hotel proposals to the city. Richardson says he's not sure,
anymore, where they stand. "We felt like, initially, we were the
first group who came to the table. We felt like we had a good
chance," he said.
So, the guys are back in town to keep their chances good and tell the
city what they have to offer. Besides a luxury Peabody Hotel, Dorough
and Richardson also want to include an entertainment complex. "A
riverwalk, an outdoor amphitheater concert venue area, park, office
space, restaurant space, movie theater, and night clubs," Richardson
explained.
As the city council reviews the eight proposals before them,
Councilman Kling says they will eventually narrow it down to three or
four and then present them to the public in a work session. It will
be a while before a final decision is made.