Derelict Kells buildings create negative impression

Dear sir - This past week, I accompanied a company in a visit to Ireland that has an interest in relocating here. During their due diligence, they also traveled to Malta and Costa Rica. They were reviewing manpower, broadband, skills, culture and environment. We scheduled meetings with IDA Ireland and PriceWaterhouseCooper in Dublin. My guests stayed at the Westin, Dublin, and were hugely impressed with the hospitality of the IDA and PriceWaterhouseCooper. Needless to say, the accommodations at the Westin were first class and they also got a flavour of Dublin's Grafton Street, We then proceeded to Kells to meetings arranged by my brother, Rex Lee, where, in order to get a local flavour, we stayed with Terry Nallen at her lovely bed and breakfast, The Avalon. We were shown available property at the business park in Kells and also in Trim by Claire King of Meath Economic Development, who did a great job of presenting Meath. We enjoyed a great meal hosted by Kevin Stewart at the golf club, which looked great, on what turned out to be a glorious sunny day, presenting the course in all its glory. That evening, we had a great evening meal, hosted by the Western Development Commission (WDC), at the Headford Arms Hotel and I felt confident that we were blurring out the competition. The following morning, we had a very professional presentation on the benefits of doing business in the western counties from Clare to Donegal. This was a very strong and influential sell with strong attractive opportunity. After the meeting, I wanted the group to see the heritage town of Kells and took them on a walking tour from the hotel up to the Church of Ireland to see the high crosses. This was unfortunate as we passed the boarded-up old Dukes Store which gave the first negative of the visit. We might have been able to minimise this had they not asked to visit a traditional country pub and Rex and I took them to the Round Tower for a pint and then on to the Railway Bar for supper. We again were exposed to abandoned houses on Bective Street across from the Christian Brothers. I walked the town by myself early the next morning and saw the condition of Maudlin Street and am thankful I did not take them down to see the Blackwater. Could the council not put pressure on the owners of those sites to clean them up? I happen to be a commissioner with the city of Glendale in Arizona and it is our custom to give notice to the owner, including mortgage-holders, and if they do not comply, we clean them up and put a lean against the property. This company has the potential to bring 200 to 300 jobs to the country they select. Being from Ireland, I will put on all the pressure that I can to get them here but getting them to Kells could take a lot of work. You can be assured that I will try. Yours sincerely, John (Sean) F Lee, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.