NEW YORK— Just as a formal announcement is about to be made about plans for the expansion of the Javits Convention Center flanked by a new football stadium and a 1,500-room hotel here, a snag has developed, according to a published report in The New York Times. As part of a doubling of the Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York City and State officials had plannned to include the hotel at 42nd Street and 11th Avenue. They view the hotel as important to attracting more conventions and trade shows to New York City. But the developer who owns the block where the hotel is to go, Larry Silverstein, is reportedly balking. This, however, is being disputed by a spokesman for the developer. Silverstein built a 900-room apartment tower on the western half of the block several years ago and, the published report claims that he plans to build a similar tower on the parcel planned for the hotel. Further the newspaper reports that Silverstein in recent weeks talked to a developer working with Hyatt Corp. about building a tower with condos and hotel rooms, though on a smaller scale than the proposed hotel. The developer’s spokesperson disputes that, saying the developer talked to no one. The hotel industry in New York has long lobbied for the Javits expansion. The proposed expansion would bring it up to 40th Street, doubling the size of the exhibition space. On its south side, the New York Jets are proposing a $1.4-billion football stadium that would provide an additional 200,000 square feet to the exhibit area. At a recent meeting, Jonathan M. Tisch, president of Loews Hotels and chairman of New York’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that the New York City Hotel Association had agreed to a $1.50-a-night hotel tax to help pay for the Javits expansion. He said that the project should be announced very shortly.
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