Councilman has some ‘splaining to do
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Dave Martin represents big slices of suburbia on Houston City Council, Clear Lake and Kingwood. At the council table, Martin often complains most of the big deals are being done downtown.
Now Martin will have to explain an e-mail about one of those downtown deals and the deal it sounds like he was trying to make.
The city tourist agency, Houston First, is spearheading an $80 million project to redo a part of the convention center district, including expanding the convention center and putting lucrative retail and restaurants along Avenida de Las Americas. With a Super Bowl coming the winners of the restaurant derby stand to make plenty.
You would think Councilman Martin would be looking to help some Kingwood or Clear Lake family eatery get in on the downtown dough. He has connections on Houston First, one of two council members given a non-voting seat on the Houston First Board of Directors.
Now an e-mail obtained by Dolcefino Consulting raises lots of questions.
Council member Martin is telling the government relations director of Houston First he needs help setting up a meeting with Ed Wulfe, the exclusive broker on the lucrative retail project. In other words, the developer who picks who is in and who is out.
“Can you help me arrange a meeting with (I guess) Wulfe and my New Orleans guys regarding restaurant space.”
New Orleans does not appear to be part of Martin’s council district.
Then there is the line in the e-mail that could come back to haunt the councilman.
“We can split the brokerage commissioners on our end!!!!!!”
In a city with a reputation for backroom deals, we wonder what the voters in Clear Lake and Kingwood are thinking?
Read: David Martin 3.18.15
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