Letter writer Michael Peskoe, in arguing against resident support of a new Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel, alleges that “such hotels tend to keep their guests inside during conventions.” As a participant in many out of state conventions, I can assure you that is simply not true.

While casinos make welcomed efforts to keep gamblers inside, conventioneers appreciate the opportunity to see the town after the daily convention schedule. Every city with a major convention center except Miami Beach has a nearby convention center hotel.

Lacking an adjacent convention center hotel, we are in poor position to attract conventions to our town.

In addition to the benefit to the convention center in attracting new conventions, there will be very large rental payments to the city for use of the land.

These payments will help fund the very expensive capital projects the city is undertaking for water pumps, sidewalk elevation, and the Baylink light rail project.

It’s time to look at proposed projects on their merits and not suspect nefarious purposes for every development.

We should welcome and vote for the new Convention Center Hotel.