And again people are missing the point. It's not up to the city of Milton government, and certainly not up to those of us commenting on this article, whether Milton "needs" or "could support" a hotel. That is solely the decision of those in the private sector who would invest their own money in such a project. We're all entitled to our opinions, but our opinions (and the opinions of government) are academic. The people who are actually driving this must ultimately come from the private sector, acting in the free market. Government mostly just gets in the way.

Again the city Fathers pay an outside "consultant" an exorbitant amount of taxpayer money to tell them something they either don't need to know or could have figured out themselves if they had any common sense.

I see these comments about can Milton support one, Newville has one, why can't Milton support one. Remember folks, its not the size of the town but rather the amount of non-residents that would likely use it. People living in Milton are not going to reserve rooms at a motel in Milton. Neither do the people of Newville stay at the motel in Newville. Newville has I-90 so there would be traveling traffic that would need a place to stay and they have an exit to the highway. Just because Milton is getting a bypass does not mean that its volume of traveling people is going to just jump right up through the roof. Have you ever driven on the bypass around Ft.Atkinson? Ghost road most of the time. Perhaps this guy who got paid $15,000 to do the study can include some plans for tourist attractions to justify building a motel.

I'm very happy to hear this. If Newville can support one, I don't see why Milton can't. It would be a great help for school reunions, weddings, and other local Milton events too.

Maybe a Lowe's, Costco, and Red Lobster right next to it too.

WisconsinResident - if Milton is "too small" for a hotel, then why does Newville have one? Whitewater has two, Delavan has a few, Jefferson has a hotel...

jocose
What I meant to say is one Milton is to small of a town to warrant having a hotel. Second I do not believe there would be enough of a customer base to sustain even a small hotel to me it would be a wasted investment. Here is what i was looking at. What would attract customers to a hotel in Milton. Then I looked at what area business would have a need for Milton to have a hotel. Then you have to remember there are hotels on 4 miles from Milton that would all be in competition of one and other there would be Best Western Motel 6 and the one behind Cracker Barrel that already have the interstate right there. I just do not see how a hotel in Milton could be a profitable investment at tis time.

There seems to be a lot of confusion in the comments below. Topics such as, does Milton need a new hotel, whether money spent on a hotel is a waste of money, whether Geico can save you money :)
The point is, a hotel is a private business. Why is government paying for a "study" as to whether a hotel is needed?!? Your taxes go to this sort of waste! If not for this inappropriate waste, your taxes could be (much) lower. And the free market would work! If there is a need for a hotel, the free market will build a hotel. If not, it won't! Simple as that. Government studies are not needed! Sorry for all the exclamation marks!!!! :)

The naysayers might want to check some facts. Hotels offer many opportunities to a community. Weddings, birthday parties, business meetings, conventions, family fun nights, .......
Groups are very loyal to the location of their meetings. They come year after year, and that type of business snowballs. While Milton is not as big as Janesville, it is very close geographically. Here is some info on the impact that hotel availability has on Janesville....

http://www.janesvillecvb.com/about-us/ab...

There's been recent televised studies that Geico can save you more on insurance! Best of all, the studies have NOT been paid for by the taxpayers.

hg- Those are my thoughts also....When I see the amounts for "studies", I can't help but think a good portion of it is an attempted bribe.

I am curious as to why it cost $15,000 for someone to do a "study"? I really don't see any actual physical labor involved in a study. Perhaps someone goes around and checks current records and evaluates them but most of that is done on a computer sitting at a desk. Seems like the plan has not even started and money is being thrown around and lost. I am sure there could have been a more reasonable way to come up with the figures. And besides, if a developer comes in and drops a notion to the city council that there should be a motel in your town then the developer should be the one to pay for the study since he is the one who is going to make millions for building the motel in the end.

Just fix up a room in the Milton House.

A hotel in Milton will tap into both the Janesville and Madison markets, and will provide rooms near two major highways. If the need is there, the hotel will survive, if not, it will go under, pretty simple.

Idiotic waste of money. Check out Evansville's hotel.

colossal waste of taxpayer money...hotels in Janesville are so close...has there really been a need for a hotel in Milton that was more than 6 rooms?

WisconsinResident- Is there any way you can reword your post? I can't tell what you're trying to say. "Why I still think Milton is to small for a hotel to really be profitable because I do not believe the customer base would not be there." ???

The only way a hotel would work for Milton is if Milton dose not have to pay for any of the developments and that the city can make money off a hotel. Why I still think Milton is to small for a hotel to really be profitable because I do not believe the customer base would not be there.

couldn't agree more guys.

I thought the same thing - why are they still throwing away money?!? Is there something about the free market that is broken?

If there's a need someone will want to build. Let the developer pay for the studies.
I'm just sayin'...