Backstreet Boys back in town

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jun 11, 2003 Source: Huntsville Times Submitted By: Gina Musicians to return to city Thursday, will talk about hotel By GINA HANNAH, Times Business Writer When Backstreet Boys Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough visit here Thursday, they'll answer questions from fans about their music and their lives. But there's one topic the entertainers particularly want to discuss with Huntsville fans: their wish to invest in a downtown hotel and entertainment complex next to the Von Braun Center. In addition to a town hall meeting at 4 p.m. at Madison Square mall, the duo are scheduled to meet with Mayor Loretta Spencer. "The boys are trying to get attention to what they bring to the project," said Rick Baker, the singers' financial adviser who works for Morgan Stanley in Huntsville. Richardson and Dorough could bring industry contacts and performers to an entertainment center in Huntsville, Baker said. Richardson and Dorough won't sign autographs or perform during their appearance at the mall. The entertainers were originally slated to have a "meet-and-greet" session with a few fans compliments of WRSA-FM Lite 96.9, but that event was canceled after other local radio stations objected to WRSA having exclusive access to the singers. "There's not going to be a meet-and-greet because of some conflict with the other stations, but the guys are still going to be around town," Baker said. The singers are also scheduled to visit patients at a local hospital, he said. Richardson and Dorough became interested in investing in a downtown hotel and entertainment complex about three years ago, and teamed with Memphis-based Peabody Hotel Group. After more than two years of negotiations and no agreement with the city to build the complex, the city recently issued a request for proposals from developers interested in the project and offered $37 million in incentives. The Peabody Group, which renovated the historic Peabody Hotel and built the Peabody Place entertainment complex in downtown Memphis, is one of eight developers to send letters of interest to the city last month. The city is still poring over financial statements and other information from those companies. Melissa Bullard, spokeswoman for the mayor, said Spencer hasn't been told what the topic of Thursday's meeting will be, "but she is assuming that it is pertaining to the hotel and entertainment complex that they have discussed in the past." Comment on this item. Next Item: "I Want It That Way" makes Vh1 Greatest Songs List Prev Item: Backstreet Offer for Downtown Huntsville