There's a lot riding on Ormsby House completion

Al Fiegehen and Don Lehr said last week the Ormsby House will be completed in 2009, a statement that has surely given voice to a chorus of skeptics.

And who can blame the naysayers ... the project has been under reconstruction since 2001, and the mere fact that they're submitting interior building plans to the city doesn't mean there won't be more delays.

But this is a gambling town, and we're going to put our chips on Fiegehen and Lehr. Call it a feeling, but the fact they invited the Appeal and its readers inside the project and that they put their names behind a 2009 grand opening can only be seen as good signs.

It's a bet that could pay off big for Carson City. The completion of the magnificent building would be a jolt of energy for an up-and-coming downtown, and the community as a whole, with its 135 high-quality hotel rooms, restaurants and meeting rooms.

It's important to remember that, despite its historic significance, the Ormsby House was a troubled property, having gone through two bankruptcies before being purchased by Fiegehen and Lehr. Without their vision, it could well have been sitting vacant and decaying, a huge blight on the downtown. For now, it's vacant but its beautiful exterior hints at the promise it holds to be a dramatic focal point for downtown beginning next year.

While it won't have come as quickly as we were led to believe, it will have been worth the wait.

"We just want it finished. That's all we want," said Lehr, who could have been speaking for the entire community.

We thank the owners for their determination in bringing the project to fruition, and we look forward to the grand opening celebration next year.

It will be a day worth celebrating.

• This editorial represents the view of the Nevada Appeal Editorial Board