This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025.

In today’s newscast, City Councilmember Sydney Zulich speaks about Indiana’s redistricting effort with WFHB Politics Reporter Camdyn Glover. That’s coming up in our feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Keeping Holidays Happy” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. More following today’s feature.

RDC Tables Resolution on Host Hotel Incentives Amid Public Pushback

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission met on December 1st to discuss the Convention Center Host Hotel. The selected developer, Dora Hospitality, says they cannot build the required hotel without city incentives due to high construction costs, the need to build on-site parking, and restrictions that prevent condoizing or charging peak rates during IU sporting events.

Director of Economic and Sustainable Development Jane Kupersmith says the host hotel is necessary because it is aligned with Bloomington’s redevelopment plan.

“The staff and ultimately redevelopment commissioners are not entertaining this project simply because a hotelier asked us to use this property for a hotel. It’s because the convention center is a pillar of our community’s economic development. It will drive our economic development much of it going forward and a proper host hotel is critical to the success of that convention center,” said Kupersmith.

In October, the Capital Improvements Board said there is a large funding gap in the project. To help with the funding, the Redevelopment Commission is considering supporting a resolution to provide the hotel land at lower than market value. Commissioner Dana Kerr explained the resolution is needed to ensure desired hotel quality.

“Because of the gap in the quality of what is wanted by the CIB and the community for the host hotel I would say is you’re not going to get that quality unless there is some incentives available because there the developer can’t make up that kind of expenditure in amount of time that you they’d be running in the red for a long period of time and you’re not going to find a hotel here that wants to run in the red,” said Kerr.

Executive Director Anna Killion-Hanson explained that unlike Posh or the Trades District Hotel, the host hotel must be larger, more regulated and less profitable because it is designed to support the convention center.

The hotel needs 200 beds, full-service amenities, stable convention-rate pricing and the ability to book years in advance, before IU sports schedules are released. Killion-Hanson says these requirements create a financial gap the private market cannot cover on its own.

“There is still a substantial gap that we can’t fill. We have looked to other partners to see if anything else is on the table. We have explored every option possible and we’re hitting dead ends,” said Killion-Hanson.

Kupersmith said passing the resolution would not commit the RDC to giving away the land, it would signal that the redevelopment commission is willing to consider land incentives. The RDC would still have full flexibility later in deciding on leasing the land, discounting it, requiring payment or saying no entirely.

During public comment, City Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith said the council doesn’t want any taxpayer money going towards the hotel.

“There are many more important and urgent community needs than a hotel for the convention center. Uh that’s eight out of nine council members,” said Piedmont-Smith.

Community member Greg Alexander said he was against the resolution.

“First off, uh this seems like a bad way to treat the taxpayers. Um looks like giving $7 million to a private uh business. Um with the twist that we were told that wouldn’t happen. Um, second, it looks like a bad process. Um, do you want to stick your necks out for this boondoggle?” said Alexander.

Another community member Terry Hayes agreed that taxpayer money should not be given to a private hotel.

“I’m in favor of the hotel, but I’m not in favor of giving away the land. Um as someone mentioned earlier, it is a taxpayer money thing and it shouldn’t be just given away,” said Hayes.

The commission voted to table the resolution to allow more transparency with the public. It will be voted on at their next meeting on December 15th.

Feature Report:

This week, Indiana lawmakers proposed a mid-cycle redistricting map that would guarantee the GOP nine out of nine districts in the U.S. Congress. Redistricting occurs every ten years to redraw congressional districts in order to represent the constituents of that district. Indiana has voted “No” towards this proposal, but state legislation continues to pursue this agenda. If this mid-cycle redistricting does occur, then some Democratic leaders will be voted out, as the assumed goal of the redrawing of districts is to ensure more congressional seats for the Republicans ahead of the mid-term elections. In today’s feature report, I interviewed City Council Member Sydney Zulich for her insight on the mid-cycle redistricting proposal.

Up next, “Keeping Holidays Happy” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.

It’s Art Walk on WFHB, where Youth Radio members attend local galleries to talk with artists and art lovers.

In episode 18 Brynn speaks to IU graduate Sally Harless about their wild animal illustrations and their shift from ink/watercolor to digital, and their love for the flexibility and learning curve associated with digital art.

This episode of Art Walk was recorded at the First Thursday Festival on October 2, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana.

Credits: