Ok, Steve2, may be the pic is a bit exaggerated, but is not far from the truth. Anyone who would refute that picture with another picture, will probably post one of those worthy of their song book. I been there many times and that pictures does not look foreign to me. Its actually missing the afternoon nappers. May be a I tend to look around too much.
In another hand, the article reads "... as it helps no one to have these buildings sitting empty...". There is an Assembly Hall in La Feria, TX. New, no more than 3 years old if memory serves me right. 5 million dollars laters, it sat empty the entire summer of 2014. My cong was assigned to an international convention in Houston, so no one thought much of it. I know someone at my work who was assigned to go to Houston as well, but his was not international. There was absolutely no need to have them drive and pay hotels. In the other hand, this area is full of illegal immigrants. I would risk to say that a good half of the congos around are made up of illegal residents from latin america. They are not able to travel out of the area without their documents. They could not make it to Houston or anywhere else. I asked some of the brothers about their assembly and they said there was nothing for them. I went to the JW site and found no assemblies scheduled for that hall for 2014 and early 2015.
I guess Jehovah forgot some brothers behind when he scheduled and provided the arrangements for the 2014 assemblies. Despite having neglected them all of these years when the assembly hall did not exist.
