We have read plenty about Virgin Galactic’s plans for space travel. Now we hear that the company is going all out to promote this as a luxury business. And in order to do that, they have decided to build a luxury hotel near Spaceport America. It is not a bad idea, considering that it will cost upwards of $200,000 for a ticket to outer space. However, residents in the Truth and Consequences area are not pleased by the new development.
Part of the reason is that residents of Truth and Consequences have been paying taxes to support the upcoming spaceport. They now fear that if a luxury hotel comes up, their own businesses will suffer, and the extra taxes that they shelled out would go down the drain. However, Julia Tizard, operations manager for Virgin Galactic, believes that a high-end hotel is necessary. The spaceflights are scheduled to start from 2013. According to Tizard, 420 people have already reserved their seats, and they would require more luxury amenities than currently available in the area. So far, all that is known about the hotel is that it will be near the spaceport, which stands between Truth and Consequences and Las Cruces.
Residents claim that tourists love the quaint lodgings near the springs. They are complaining about the upcoming hotel eating into their business. But ex-spaceport board member Kent Evans disagrees. He admits that the area has several great properties to put up in, but these would not suit the needs of people who are able and willing to shell out upwards of $200,000 for a single seat on a spaceflight.
