Despite questions about the need for the hotel, private financing fell into place in February 2007.

Among the results was an avalanche of federal, state and private financing.

Companies have also sought private financing or sold the rights to some of their technology.

Those behind the private financing are accountable to no one.

When deals are strong, he said, companies can generally get private financing.

For whatever reason, neither city nor private financing was available to make the needed improvements.

Government, corporate and private financing for the arts is down.

"You're starting to see a movement toward the private financing of what used to be public infrastructure," he said.

The project is receiving only private financing, not government funds.

And its ideas for economic development relied on private financing.