Bay City Manager Dana Muscott was spot on in a recent press release. She noted the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown “positions Bay City to be a destination that’s attractive to residents, entrepreneurs and visitors.” But that doesn’t mean difficult questions looming in the wake of the 20-year operation’s abrupt foreclosure and subsequent change of ownership don’t deserve answering.

When my wife and I were looking for places to get married in 2018-19, months before the world stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DoubleTree was one of the places we took a gander at. We loved the outdoor space reserved for ceremonies and, being that it was on the water, the chances of a boat passing by while I said “I do” was something every little boy dreams of.

But ultimately, we went to a different venue. I did get a chance to revisit the DoubleTree for my brother-in-law’s wedding. It was easy to see why people flocked to the place.

Having seen how often the hotel is booked for weddings and how much it charges for such events, I was as shocked as everyone when I saw it foreclosed and was behind on its finances. Officials with the city and the entity in charge of managing the operation, Wenonah Park Properties, still haven’t said who dropped the ball and why the mortgage wasn’t being paid.

“While the City was one of several investors in the DoubleTree, it was not responsible for the mortgage or any other debts the hotel incurred,” Muscott wrote in a statement Thursday, April 16.

Bay City leaders said while the city won’t be repaid the more than $6.7 million it invested into the hotel, it was worth it because of the economic impact spawned by its presence downtown.

For now, the story is unfinished. City officials say the city wasn’t responsible for the debt. Muscott’s statement makes that clear. But the absence of legal responsibility doesn’t equate to the absence of accountability. And in cities like Bay City, where civic projects are often held together with equal parts hope and financing, someone always knows more than they’re saying.

We’ll keep asking.

Before you go, check out these headlines that caught our eye this week:

The story of a Bay City native convicted of killing his family 35 years ago today

Meet the captain couple living aboard a tall ship as Great Lakes stewards, educators

Historic Bay City bakery expands to larger Saginaw Street location

SK Siltron CSS, among world leaders in wafer production, in process of being sold: reports

Honoring spring standouts with Bay City Athlete of the Week for April 15

Bay City middle school student dies after exiting school bus

Bay City Central hopes coach’s first win is the start of something good

Bay County prep roundup: Not even high winds can deny big wins

Bay County OKs hiring special prosecutor to handle dozens of cases that risk dismissal

Fast-learning Garber knows how to celebrate Bay County Soccer Championship

Bay County prep roundup: Break time is over, time to get down to business

Booming bat carries Bay City’s Hayden Jatczak to MAC Player of the Week

Until next time,

Cheers, Bay City.

Joey Oliver covers Bay City for MLive/The Bay City Times. He joined the Bay City team after covering crime in Flint. He is married and has two daughters. He can be reached at joliver@mlive.com.

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