Deena Hayes' concerns

Deena Hayes outlines her views on Mike Weaver and Dennis Quaintance's scrutiny of the downtown hotel project in e-mails received by both News & Record reporter and Chris Holt, the same entity linked to a profane e-mail to Hayes calling her "a useless piece of dog squeeze." The following e-mail was sent on Jan. 24:

"I am totally supportive of any citizen or organization having access to public documents. I do not consider that racial. There are several components of this issue that I have concerns about. 1. The documents are public and have been since we had to submit them last year. The neighborhood has heard over and over that people didn't think we'd make it this far, so there was no need to review our project. We have been publicly presenting the details of this project since July 2009. The people inquiring happen to be 'hoteliers' who have allegedly consulted staff about a hotel project that would be built by them in downtown Greensboro.

"3. The political pressure is coming from 'private hotel interest' not a broad citizen/constituency.' The mayor has mentioned the need to 'protect preexisting hotels interest.' No mention of protecting the interest and opportunities of the citizens in the recovery zone area.

"4. This will be the first hotel owned and operated by a majority african american business. It is the only model where a private business entity has valued a disenfranchised african american neighborhood association to the degree that it is including us (the neighborhood) as an equity partner.

"The Weaver family participated in and financially benefited from racially segregationist policies prior to the time that they 'decided' to integrate their properties, a good 6 years after Brown vs. Bd."

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