WP: Posh Hotel to Rise in Baghdad Green Zone

[DeepModem Mom]

Posh Hotel to Rise in Green Zone
As Private Investment Begins, Ordinary Iraqis Feel Cut Off
By Jackie Spinner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 3, 2005; Page D06


BAGHDAD -- No, no, Thair Feely said, emphatically denying rumors that a five-star hotel was about to be built in the center of the Iraqi capital. "That is not true," said Feely, the chairman of the Iraqi Commission for Investment, shaking his head. He paused, his English crisp, drawing out the words for effect. "We are building a 7 1/2 -star hotel!"

Feely left his broad cherry wood desk in his palatial office and walked over to a computer. He could show the pictures of what the hotel would look like, but he could not hand them over. After all, there were security issues to be considered in unveiling the 23-story hotel, which would be the first private investment in Iraq since the U.S.-led war in 2003 and the tallest building in the capital.

Plenty of foreign businesses promised new investment in the months that followed the war in spring 2003. Iraq was seen as a rich, consumer-driven land starved for goods and services after more than a decade of sanctions. Hungry investors packed seminars and conferences in the United States and Europe, eager to get in on the action.

But as the threat of violence increased, the reality of postwar Iraq sunk in. This was no businessman's picnic. Just getting into the country required a leap of faith -- forget about the funds -- that few investors were willing to take. And no laws yet exist that even allow foreign investment.

Feely thus has resorted to courting wealthy Iraqis. There are fewer cultural barriers to cross, he said, and frankly, Iraqi investors get that this won't be a "safe" bet for a while....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/02/AR2005110202877.html

[Botany]

1. ? what do you 23 story 5 star hotel that houses westerners in Iraq?

A. A target

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. You know, I don't think this one is on my short list

for exciting travel destinations.

[Inland]

3. Amazing how American security helps real estate development

in a five square mile area.

[tularetom]

4. My guess is this thing never gets finished

it will be blown up numerous times during construction and finally Mr. Feely ahd his investors will have had enough and say fuckit.

[soothsayer]

5. What a brilliant idea! Soooo much better than providing clean

water and electricity and safety and normalcy for the millions of 'liberated' Iraqis.

[bleedingheart]

6. New Posh Hotel - Coated in Kevlar and Iron Plating...

Yes each bullet proof window will come with custom made curtains lined with Kevlar.

[babylonsister]

7. I do believe this will get off the ground...literally. nt

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Good one! nt

[leftchick]

9. well if it ever is completed I hope it has a helicopter pad....

[warrens]

10. Bomb bait. nt

[donsu]

11. yes and another reason to hate the bushgang

nt

[leesa]

12. A new target! Woo Hoo!

[Teaser]

13. There was a misprint

Title was meant to read:

"Fools Decide to Build Giant Target in Baghdad."

Principal Investor Thair Feely had this to say:
"Well, my home appendectomy kit never really sold well. And 'Club Projectile Vomit' wasn't nearly the people magnet I thought it would be. But this idea, it's pure gold.

[Javaman]

14. The bullseye hotel...

Each room comes with it's own complimentary kevlar armor, emergency MRE's and for the truly pampered guest, it's own pressure bandage field dressing.
And when you are not out on the go, dodging bullets, IED's or car bombs, relax in your own shielded bed, surrounded by 3 inch bullet proof glass.

I'm sure your stay at Hotel Bullseye will be a memorable one!!

It's not just 5 stars, it's 7 1/2!!!

[PurityOfEssence]

15. and not only that, you can throw your bones at the peasants below

It's great sport.

[IndianaGreen]

16. Is it going to be build underground?

A hotel for the American VIPs, just what Iraq needed.

[Miss Chybil]

17. Ah... to be rich in a war zone...

means absofuckinglutely NOTHING! Dead is dead. Maybe, if they rebuilt the infrastructure of Iraq they might have a better go of it.

[Swede]

18. They can paint this on the front facade.

[Gman]

19. The only question is

will they start bombing during construction or wait till its completed then see if they can take it down all at one time.

[rodeodance]

20. gawd!!

[KamaAina]

21. "Will that be a shooting or non-shooting room, sir?"

"We will be serving a complimentary continental breakfast tomorrow morning in The Bunker restaurant..."

[hedda_foil]

22. The Haliburton Hilton?

[coalition_unwilling]

24. You can check out any time you like . . .

[madrchsod]

23. "caution ---cement truck entrance"

[swhisper1]

25. Paint a BIG target on it, what a set-up!

[DeepModem Mom]

28. Thanks for posting, swhisper1 -- welcome to DU!!!

[Barrett808]

30. Yes, welcome to DU, swhisper1!

:hi:

[madmark]

26. What a joke, the guests are going to have a 20-30% mortality rate

going back and forth on that road to the airport.

[JoFerret]

27. How useful!

...and what a target forever.

[Maggie_May]

29. Thats nice

keep the wealthy happy but deprive the poor from everything. Wow its sounding a little familiar.