Starwood recently told Wall Street analysts that it was slowing, delaying or canceling all projects above $3 million but it did not specify what would happen to which project--including the hotel here. Unconfirmed reports state that Starwood asked the MCCA for a year, possibly two, delay in constructing the $264-million project, for which the company has yet to find financing. Part of Starwood's agreement with the MCCA is that the hotel would open in conjunction with the convention center.

Andy Antrobus, spokesperson for the MCCA, would not be specific about Starwood's requests to the MCCA in their meeting last week. "We did talk about timing," he tells GlobeSt.com. "They had mentioned to us their situation and it is obviously more serious now since September 11." Antrobus adds that the MCCA is currently "thinking through their situation and more importantly our own situation." Antrobus emphasizes that the dialogue between Starwood and MCCA will take a few months but was unclear on whether Starwood would still be working on acquiring financing for the project in that time. But sources close to the project tell GlobeSt.com that that probably was not a priority for the company right now. "The situation in general is fairly dire with every one of their projects," notes the source.