Now, the public university hopes to offset these shortfall payments by instead paying more than $1 million each year in rent to Hotel Ursa to house students there. The Maine Monitor reviewed contracts, a study and a lease agreement provided by UMaine. A 2022 contract showed UMaine is obligated to share in the highs and the lows of the hotel, but could be responsible for increasing, maximum shortfall payments each year of its 25-year agreement. The university pursued a hotel in part because empty, aging buildings were costing it money. This story appears as part of a collaboration to strengthen investigative journalism in Maine between the BDN and The Maine Monitor.