Belmares accused of favoring La Posada, his employer

In the days where hotels are trimming employee's hours and other expenses of operation, people are accusing Councilman Gene Belmares of district six of monopolizing the business in which he is manager at, La Posada hotel.

Since being employed general manager of sales in La Posada, the hotel has organized multiple events by the municipality and has received several groups related to it as well. Hoteliers say this is conflict of interest because as they suffer from a lack of clients, La Posada is receiving all the special gatherings.

Daniel Rodriguez, the manager of the hotel Marriott and president of the committee of counselors of the Bureau of Visitors and Conventions indicated that the conflict of interest is affecting business that comes for the city goes to La Posada. All the events organized by the municipal government use this hotel as a headquarters and when conferences with outside people are organized, Belmares is the first to know therefore, he send the business to La Posada, where he is manager of.

Rodrigurez adds that there is a serious conflict of interest because Belmares uses his position in city hall to influence and to carry business for the hotel that he manages and where he has Hector "Tito" Garcia, another city councilman working as a manager there as well. Rodriguez was named to the convention & visitors bureau advisory committee by Mayor Raul Salinas in 2007, who is running for re-election agaisnt a possible run from Gene Belmares.

Events and seminars, such as the; the Department of Health, bi-national conferences and inclusive the visit of Hilary Clinton, all have been channeled toward La Posada, without giving opportunity to other business.

An unnamed manager from another hotel asserted that “there are many people that prefer to do its meetings, seminars and other events in that hotel to remain well with Belmares.” The unnamed manager adds. The unidentified manager affirmed that is difficult to verify if Belmares uses their position, but curiously, all the events of the municipality go to La Posada.

Belmares says he has consulted with his lawyers before accepting the employment of manager and no conflict of interest exists. He adds, "We invest a lot in publicity, in promotions, and it is not fair neither correct that other people criticize when they are not doing its work to help its hotels".