Kudos to all involved in today's ground breaking ceremony in front of The Lake Worth Casino and it did not cost $20k as I previously thought. There were several employees in attendance. A special thanks to Kathleen and to Mary for all their hard work. The Lake Worth High drummers were there as well as a student who sang.
Those who spoke were PB County Commissioner, Shelley Vana, James Auld of The Morganti Group, Rick Gonzales of REG Architects, Michael Spruce of Kimley Horn, our vice Mayor, Suzanne Mulvehill and all of the city commissioners other than Scott Maxwell. When asked why, he said, "I don't want to be hypocritical." Rene Varela did not dare show his face but why would he? He has moved on.
Nothing and no one could put a damper on this momentous occasion. Lake Worth is finally doing something about our casino whether it is called a restoration, a refurbishment or a brand new building, who really cares? The architectural firm, REG, has assured us that we will get Leed certification. Morganti, the company that has successfully completed hundreds of buildings over the coastal construction line, describes the project as follows: This Casino Rehabilitation Project is to be constructed under the Green Building Guidelines and consist of rehabilitating the existing 25,000sf Lake Worth Municipal Casino Building to include restaurant, retail, ballroom and public spaces. Once completed the fully rehabilitated Casino Building will serve as a regional attraction and will symbolize a brighter, more prosperous future for the City of Lake Worth.
The new casino will be paid through rents. There will be no cost to the taxpayers of Lake Worth. There was a lot of optimism in the air this morning and once built, there will be a complete change in Lake Worth. This will literally put us on the world map as a destination.
14 comments:
So the ends justify the means - figures.
I like leaving it up to the experts to determine how much of a building is salvageable and what is the most cost effective. No one lied about the building here--things change. There are good reasons to proceed they way they have.
Straticon?
It was a nice event with vana giving a very nice speech. Mulvehill did well too. She was very mayorial SP?
Lynn,as always,thanks for all of the great info and pics.I couldn't be there today,but I ,like the vast majority of our citizens, am so glad that a private developer WAS NOT ALLOWED to steal our beach! Lake Worth remains a public beach-just like the family that donated the land intended.Our new Casino really will be a destination.
Kudos to Scott Maxwell for sticking to his guns and not speaking as he would be labeled a hypocrite. By not speaking, he spoke volumes.
Thanks Scott for representing us by being there. Not speaking symbolizes how logical people view this hypocracy.
We, the people who will be responsible for the upkeep of the beach for the distant future cannot even have priority parking and will be relegated to a lower far-away lot. Our progressive majority didn't "sell" our beach? Then why can't we say what goes on there for our own residents?
There are NO kudos to Maxwell. This was pandering to his little SAY NO to everything group- This was not politically smart. He should have spoken. Everyone there was FOR the Casino. It just shows that he stands out like ONE BIG SORE THUMB on many issues that the majority of the residents want.
Sure there are kudos. Just look up. You kudo-ed all in attendance, then I kudo-ed him in particular. I am also "for" the casino. Just not calling it a renovation. It's a tear down to the slab, almost ground up rebuild. LIKE WE SAID IT WOULD HAVE TO BE until your bunch shopped around and finally found someone to say "the building is structurally sound".
That is the hypocracy I'm writing about and Scott didn't speak to because he would be viewed as negative.
It's getting done and the BCE will get the credit. Just wish us taxpayers could retain our priviledged parking stickers. Yes, I'm greedy that way. We are paying (yes we are) for the upkeep and we should have the right to say where we can park.
But the Building IS structurally sound. The only engineering firm that bore 4 inches into the concrete and did a FORENSIC Audit said so. Whatever is your problem here? I know--you just have to be "right" no matter whether a forensic audit or not. Who is this? BY THE WAY--SCOTT is Negative.
Just wait to see how much of the "structurally sound" building is left standing after demolition. Then ask yourself "why did they have to take down so much of the old structurally sound building?"
If we could just get two more negative people elected, (NO to anarchism, NO to coddling of people here illegally, NO to disregard of our Charter, NO to fiscal irresponsibility, NO to CHICKENS) maybe we can get Lake Worth back on track and change the direction from a slide to a climb.
Ok--so now you are the expert on how to rebuild this building. Do you think that we should spend twice what we are spending in order to use the structurally sound elements of this building? Would that be a solution for ya?
Probably in your mind Varela did the right thing since you mentioned the Charter and all.
Your other points are well taken but negativity is not the way to proceed. Scott is a politician and knows the score.
Lake Worth IS on track. We don't need politicians in there whose only solution is to fire the city manager. Awesome.
I'm not an expert on how a building should be built but I can read blueprints.
In my mind, I'm not sure Varela did the right thing. If he had to leave, there were only two options. The Charter does matter and can work to one's advantage or disadvantage.
This commission pisses away $25K on a whim, so don't use that as an excuse. You and the BCE are just upset that they couldn't appoint. Period.
People on both sides are now trying to figure out if this was such a smart move. Hell, I don't know.
Appointing another whacko could work against them. Can you imagine them appointing anyone close to main-stream?
Rene apparently could not.
Look, if you want to get personal, at least use your complete name. No guts! Next, I could care less that the commission did not get a chance to appoint. My ONLY concern is the money that Varela made us pay. THAT IS IT. Any election or any appointment is only ONE VOTE. It will NOT change the dais in any way shape or form. DO YOU GET THAT? So, if I am upset about anything it is your unfounded and trumped up charge.
To Anon Y. Mous--
I didn't post your last comment because you just want to badger and bully. You do not choose to believe me. You get personal. And your charges are totally untrue. Until such time that you want to be reasonable, then take a hike.
You need to read the comment policy. If people do not want to adhere to it, then their post will be ignored.
Sorry. This is not a blog like the former talk blog that put up with BS and encouraged trashing everyone who did not agree with them. Speak to the issue, not to the author here. Stop assuming things that are untrue just because it makes you happy to believe them. My blog. My rules.
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