Meridian hotel/theater project has no takers

Teya Vitu//September 2, 2015//

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Meridian believes a hotel/conference/performance center will serve as a catalyst for downtown development. Image courtesy of city of Meridian.

Meridian leaders are regrouping after no developer proposals came in for an ambitious performing arts center- hotel-conference center complex on the blocks adjacent to City Hall.

The Aug. 31 deadline for a request for proposals brought no responses. Meridian had sought ideas for how to incorporate all three elements on mostly city-owned and Meridian Development Corp.-owned property, said Bruce Chatterton, Meridian’s community development director.

“Our next step is we could enter into discussions with any developer at this point,” Chatterton said. “We will regroup with our steering committee.”

Meridian had been seeking proposals for the two blocks bounded by Meridian Road, Broadway Avenue, Main Street and Pine Avenue. Idaho Avenue runs through the middle. But Chatterton is open to ideas about building a theater-hotel-conference center complex elsewhere in the city, too.

Meridian has no downtown hotel nor large-scale conference center or performing arts space.