Expanding our casino complex discussion by Select Committee - Lake Worth

Comment Up

Amoroso: We have seen what it looks like on the blogs...

it will be taking on legs all over the place.

It's so unbelievable to me that this city would even consider turning over our beach complex to Hudson Holdings because the city believes it can't manage one damn thing. It is also unbelievable that they would consider working with Anderson & Carr again when they failed so miserably for the three years they had the listing at our casino on the vacant upstairs space. What is also incredible is that they want to redesign a complex that we just spent $13 million in doing.

The most unbelievable thing of all is--they have NOT ASKED THE PUBLIC about our beach and casino complex nor do they care.  The ITN was a secret meeting out of the Sunshine. They covered their butt by having a representative of the Inspector General's office there. This is the dais that believes they have made important strides in our city and one that is still drinking the Kool-Aid. Their vision is NOT my vision and not the vision of many, many people in our city. Hudson Holdings' proposal sounds very much like Greater Bay's including hotdog vendors. We paid Greater Bay $1.6 million for kicking them off our beach for an unacceptable plan and a company that never performed, not once.

Partnering with "reputable developers," we are sort of lucky says one person on the Select committee who was not identified but was told to me that it was Sherry Schmidt, Mayor's Appointment to the Finance Advisory Board. And right out of the mouth of the mayor, she further says, our city has been tarnished because of a small little group of people who control the political actions of the City of LW and have said "no progress" and most of those people don't even pay taxes here in the city of Lake Worth...To give up at the last hour...give up because a couple of people wrote something in the newspaper, I think is short sighted for a vision of LW for the next 20 or 30 years. We can help accomplish something...why don't you want to build a tax base? Why not have some vision and get ourselves out of the rut?"

I say, there is ALWAYS a group of people that wants to give our assets away whatever they may be and constantly admits that we as a city are a failure at managing anything. They are always playing the blame game and want the public to disappear.

William Waters: Hudson Holdings..he said he expected a whole lot more from them. He said he would have been embarrassed if he was Hudson to submit what they did. I want to see a vision...this is just not what I expected at this point...we have more questions than when we started. He is cautious. If you ride by the Gulfstream right now, it has not been maintained...it is a disgrace. Hudson mentions a collective ability to manage property.

Juan Ruiz: I see the thousands of people who come to the beach every day who love it but I can't keep the doors open. The proposals are not up to par. Anderson and Carr's offer is too low. Ruiz says that the loan deferral  now it is almost $2 million dollars. ?? Maybe we're at a point to reach out to a consultant...we have to hire and bring in professional ideas and knowledge he says.

William Waters: The business plan was not necessarily flawed when it was envisioned. There was no historical base at that time and set up in the best way they could. Suggests perhaps only having a splash pool...

Andy Amoroso: As a commissioner and moving forward, we can't allow this to happen anymore. We have to fix these problems. Groups of people constantly pushing back with no alternative solutions who only say "no, no, no." Most of those people have no solutions, or no ideas; they just say "no."

Sherry Schmidt: Maybe Hudson Holdings is not the perfect developer either but they have already invested money; they are already in the game. And Juan, you don't have the answers either. Everyday that passes, we flush more money down the toilet. Hudson Holdings needs a convention center. If they don't put it there (the beach) they will probably put it somewhere else. Later, Schmidt admits that she is "too vocal sometimes." I say, who cares what Hudson Holdings wants? This is about what the people want.

Juan Ruiz: We need to address these proposals. The Gulfstream Hotel is not part of our scope. Probably street lore. He says he's still on the fence...way too many questions than answers from the proposals. This is the 3rd time around to have them give the city their best shot.

William Waters: Hudson Holdings study went from 30,000sf to 75,000sf at our beach to make their Hotel investment work and then reduced back to 50,000sf. We don't know what the beach can handle as far as cars. With conventions, it could be close to a thousand. There would have to be a Comp Plan change and LDR's.

Andy Amoroso: We need some sort of smart development up there (beach.)...maybe more retail. We have heard from some on the daiz that this beach is a park and should not make money. I don't necessarily agree with that. Part of the beach is a park and part of it needs to make money.

Juan Ruiz: I don't like the idea of a Beach Club. I don't like the idea of a pool operating with memberships. Talkign about a pool, they are considering building a large bathtub. Ruiz says our pool is "too big."

Christy: 1) could stop negotiations. We don't like any of these; we like them all...we recommend that the commission make some policy decision or 2) we continue with negotiations. What this committee could do is appoint a member to meet with the respondents and continue negotiations in a fact finding process and have them answer pointed questions. going forward, this committee must have public meetings. Do we go forward with more negotiations? We must decide. You have to hold a public meeting and a formal recommendation to the city commission. We can point out things that we have learned...move forward with development at the beach...a parking garage. "Here are some key issues that we need to look at going forward."

Amoroso: Says, I think we should Sunset...maybe an RFP.

William Waters: Agrees. Waters says we do not have money budgeted for long-term maintenance at the beach.

Juan Ruiz: He disagrees with sun-setting. "I'm frustrated." He wants this to move along "fast...asap." I'm not opposed to option two. He wants the group to work "fast."

Christy Goddeau:  Right of First Refusal and options that they have the potential for more than the 19 years minus a day...are they going to finance it?  She is suggesting that there are ways to get around our Charter Amendment. This already brought on a law suit with Greater Bay.

To sum up the meeting, even though none of the proposals were even close to being acceptable, the Committee has decided to have a Fact Finding mission (giving Hudson another chance--they've had 3 already) with one on the Select Committee and the City Attorney to have Hudson answer all concerns and questions such as traffic study, convention center use, replace the pool with pools on both sides of building, locker rooms would serve both sides, permitting and constructing schedule is not realistic, no proposed lease rate for the land. Time line to complete. A lease rate to the city. Based on gross revenue? They want to manage the parking structure that removes some of the parking spots under the "grant."  613 parking spaces are required. Needs an itemized budget. Needs more info about parking garage. Traffic study. Needs Hudson to tell them if they are financing the project, if so, it leads to bigger issues. Reduce size of parking garage?  Management of the casino?  Impacts on the CAM. Stand alone structure for the convention center. Membership to the pool.  Culinary aspect in the retail space.  Free parking spaces for city and a discount for events in the ballroom.

The committee agreed on an April 21 date to bring this back to a public meeting.  However, the announcement below has it on April 28. It must have something to do with the amount of time for publishing legal public notices that was agreed to after the fact or is in error.

Posted: April 2, 2015
PUBLIC NOTICE OF SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETING
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING IN REGARD TO THE FOLLOWING ITEM:

PROJECT TITLE: ITN 14-211 Casino and Beach Complex Expansion
SUBJECT: Evaluation of Final Replies and Individual Discussions
PURPOSE: To discuss Final Replies and next step of Committee
DATE: Tuesday – April 28, 2015
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: City of Lake Worth
City Hall Commission Chambers - 1st Floor
7 North Dixie Hwy Lake Worth, FL 33460
Hirut Darge, Purchasing Agent

Should any interested party seek to appeal any decision made by the Evaluation Committee with respect to the matter(s) considered a this meeting or hearing, such person will need to insure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. (Reference: Florida Statutes 286.0105) In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons needing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the City Clerk at 561/586-1659 no later than 48 hours prior to the proceeding. If hearing impaired, telephone the Florida Relay Service Numbers, 800/955-8771 (TDD) or 800/955-8770 (Voice), for assistance. (Reference Florida Statutes 286) POSTED AS FOLLOWED:  Purchasing Division’s Information Board – 7 N. Dixie Hwy., Lake Worth, FL 33460
 Purchasing Website – www.lakeworth.org, click on “Bids & Proposals”.
 Posted at City Hall
 Local Newspaper
 Fliers