If the Edison Inn Convention Center project goes down, it will not be the fault of the media. The media has carried countless stories, letters and commentaries touting the benefits of the project. If it fails it will be for the following reasons:

1. The county rolled the project out to the public long before they had the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed; giving plenty of time for opposition to organize. This happens over and over in our community. I will speak more about this issue in a future blog post.
2. The banks may look at the project and take a pass. In a post bank crisis world, they have little choice but to decline high risk ventures.
3. A majority of the public may well be opposed to the public financing portion. Vote or no vote, the county commissioners are very well aware of this reality. After the jail fiasco, the county can’t afford to get this wrong and they know it.
4. Spending tax dollars to save the Thomas Edison Inn may not be the selling point officials thought it would be. At least not while McMorran needs saving.