BaancBlog

The CCH had its ceremonial start yesterday. There was a tent, roughly where the entrance to the new hotel will be.

There were twelve chairs, just waiting.

Which makes the editor think about Mel Brooks' The Twelve Chairs. Very funny movie, which he has not seen in a while. And the star of the show, about to make a speech

And Mayor Fenty and Jack Evans. People who have made things happen.

With the twelve speakers, there were lots of thank yous. It was a tent packing crowd, most of whom had some hand in getting this thing moving. And yes, the idea of this goes back to the early nineties, when the inadequacy of the old convention center had become clear. "Inadequate" if DC ever wanted to host larger conventions than a good-sized Holiday Inn on the Indianapolis beltway.

Both Fenty and Jack were short and to the point. Jack thanked all those on the Far Side who had anything to do with getting it moving. Mr. Marriott was good to hear. The editor has never heard discouraging words about him and his company, and he can now see why.

Mayor To Be Gray was thorough, although one did get the impression that he considers the Convention Center Hotel a division of the Department of Employment Services and not just a means of bringing large conventions into town and boosting the entire city. But the editor could be wrong on that.