Not only is this a true story - there's a better weasel sequel. While this happened at a particular hotel which changed over to a combination of imitation and low maintenance plants, after six months, the GM canceled the contract with the landscaping firm and assigned the duties to maintainence but pocketed the allocated gardening and watering services money in the budget for three years before the District Manager discovered this (and other financial chicanery).
Scott, you obviously are a government employee. Only in America could this type of flawed logic persist in so many forms. Thanks for another great one....