What’s happening
During a July 12 workshop meeting, council discussed with Garfield Public/Private the dead trees near the new Hyatt Regency Conroe and Convention Center. Mark Bullard, vice president of Garfield Public/Private—the developer for the Hyatt Regency Conroe and Convention Center—discussed the issue of incorrect tree sizes in front of the Hyatt. He said the trees were planted at the hotel, which violates an ordinance that requires a minimum size of 3 inches.
Bullard said Garfield Public/Private officials believe going from 2 inches to 3 inches would not be a viable option for the city due the trees being too large. Bullard said they were unaware the trees did not abide by the ordinance before planting them.
Council Member Curt Maddox said during the meeting he did not feel comfortable paying a completion fee for the hotel until the dead trees were removed and the tree sizes were taken care of.
During the July 13 City Council meeting, Council Member Harry Hardman amended the payment to defer $100,000 out of the $400,000 owed. Council Member Howard Wood seconded the amendment, which unanimously passed.
How we got here
The Hyatt Regency Conroe and Convention Center opened May 25, according to previous reporting.
- The guaranteed maximum price for the Hyatt hotel increased from $98 million to $108.57 million at opening.
- According to previous reporting, the original budget was set at $99 million.
- Council approved an additional $5.1 million cash infusion—which was needed to sustain operations—three days before the hotel opened.
“We kept meeting the budget, and I feel like to pay you a completion fee we need to fix the trees before we do anything,” Maddux said during the July 12 workshop meeting.
