Lakesiders Participate in Community Forums and Q&A Sessions
Posted on August 07, 2014

The second of two planned Community Forums, addressing recommendations made from the Accommodations Task Force to the Lakeside Chautauqua Board of Directors, took place in Orchestra Hall on August 2.
With nearly every seat occupied, participants listened to an extensive one and a half hour-long presentation from the task force and staff, followed by an hour-long interactive Q&A session.
While there were plenty of new homeowners and guests in attendance, the event drew back many from the first forum, held in July, that were seeking more information on the proposed project and its financial and cultural considerations.
The Accommodations Task Force was created in the fall of 2011 and has spent nearly three years developing its recommendations to the full board.
The task force has retained professional hospitality industry, legal, tax and marketing consulting services as part of its due diligence phase and short- and long-term strategy development, initially focused on hotel accommodations, especially related to the historic Hotel Lakeside.
Following an opening prayer by the Rev. Dr. Ned Dewire, Lakeside Chautauqua director of Religious Life & Church Outreach, Dr. Dale Knobel, Lakeside Chautauqua Board of Directors chair, began the meeting by reviewing the objective of the forum, discussing board assumptions related to hotel accommodations, articulating board process and acknowledging what the board was hearing from the community since the first forum.
Some questions and concerns raised by Lakesiders, among others, include:
- Where is the project now?
- What are the next steps?
- Will a beverage policy in the hotel change the culture? How will it be managed?
- Does the board need to slow down the process?
- How will the project be financed?
- How will state and federal historic preservation tax credits be used?
- What are the potential risks for homeowners and Lakeside Chautauqua?
Randy Snow, chair of the Accommodations Task Force, then spoke about the board’s strategic goals related to the project, desired project attributes and why the board believes it is vitally important to address the hotel properties, particularly the Hotel Lakeside.
Kevin Sibbring, Lakeside Chautauqua president and CEO, and Dan Dudley, CFO, provided attendees with a review of the current situation, including local, regional and national occupancy data highlighting Lakeside’s abnormally low occupancy levels.
Considered guest services were underscored and a detailed explanation of the project stages was presented, shedding new light on how much work still needs to be completed before any decision is reached by the board.
Additionally, potential funding sources were presented, including how historic preservation tax credits would subsidize more than $3 million of the project costs.
Lastly, a description of the target markets for Lakeside’s hotel properties was provided, as a year-round operating Hotel Lakeside is being contemplated.
Many of the new questions raised during the Community Forum will eventually be integrated into the existing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Download the Community Forum PowerPoint presentation.
Also, the Hotel Lakeside was recently featured in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Read the article, "Hotel Lakeside at a crossroads: Community debates large-scale renovation of historic inn, sale of alcohol," written by Susan Glaser.
There is still considerable work ahead for the Lakeside Chautauqua board and staff, but the organization fully intends to keep all stakeholders informed as the process continues to unfold. Lakeside appreciates the feedback received.