We continue to hear from Commissioner Maxwell that the beach plan is flawed and we are not making money there. He never tells you that he was a part of the commission that approved of the leases to all of the tenants. In 4.5 years, he, along with Triolo and Amoroso, have not rented the upstairs space and it sits empty. I don't hear about the ballroom these days. We used to hear about it all of the time and that it was booked solid for every weekend for a year.
He has also said that all of the money that went into the casino building renovation ($6 million) should not have been spent there but instead poured into the big piece of dirt in the Park of Commerce which is that big strip of land between Lake Worth Road and 10th Avenue North on Boutwell Road. He wants to attract developers and has low regard for our biggest tourist attraction in Lake Worth--our beach. This commission has already given favorable status for businesses to locate here by giving them a big reduction on their electric rate.
Doesn't he know that the beach is what draws people to our city? It has to make you wonder.
During the budget process, Maxwell was a part of the trio of commissioners (Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso) who voted to ensure that our beach fund would be in the RED this year--they added more staff and refused to up the parking rates even by twenty-five cents an hour.
He told everyone who would listen that we weren't paying back the loan. We have paid the principal for two years out of the three and have paid the interest through inception. He also never told anyone that it was our money--we borrowed from ourselves. When it's your money, there is no pressure in the pay-back unless you're a politician with some unknown agenda. He insisted that we pay back the loan to ourselves in the amount of $500,000 a year, (that is in this year's budget) again making it more difficult for the city to see a profit. It just makes sense--you spend more, you need to make more but he made sure that would not happen so that he can continue to claim that our beach is failing. Just talking about our beach park makes his face go RED.
The original pro-forma during the budget process for 2016 put our beach fund in the hole by -$410,321. Later, the same company, Burton and Associates, revised its pro-forma which shows a $ 152,999 loss for 2016.
18 comments:
All I can guess here is that corruption has taken over our election. How can anyone vote for these three people? Our city is in shambles and all they tell us is how wonderful they have been doing. Many of these development projects were in the wings BEFORE they even ran the first time. Developers were waiting for the right time to jump in when the economy turned. Why would anyone want to lease out our casino to Hudson Holdings to anyone for that matter? Dismissing half the voters on the charter amendment is really gutsy. It just shows how totally arrogant they are. We deserve a whole lot better.
Even if all that is true, I'm still voting for Commissioner Maxwell.
Why? Are you on HH's payroll?:
Nope, not on anyone's payroll except for my actual job. Just have a difference of opinion that you as what is good for lw. Adding a few floors to a building doesn't bother me at all and it certainly isn't going to destroy the city. Don't be so dramatic, it's just a freaking hotel.
@1:37--
Actually, it is no longer a hotel except in memory only.
What it is--a decaying building that has been coded on numerous occasions because this owner doesn't give a squat about LW...only the money he can make off of those who have now given him an upzoning to make his property more valuable, probably for someone else. This building will end up being demolished.
Also, he has proceeded on the emotions of those who are so desperate for a hotel that they want to believe this guy at the expense of democracy and at any cost.
It is a BIG deal when going 20 more feet is against the Charter Amendment. he can build to 45 feet and make us all happy and he will still make money.
This is one weird game by you people.
You are a part of th eproblem anony at 11:22. Are youjsut plain stupid?
What is going on with the grand plans for the Hummingbird?
Calling people stupid for having a different opinion is childish
Getting rid of any of our beach is one of the dumbest things you could do. We have a large amount of loyal tourists that have been coming here for up to 20 years. I talk to lots of them on the beach and they come here, no surprise, for the BEACH. One of the few left that is both accessible and not overdeveloped. That's been our bread and butter long term. It doesn't make sense to destroy that tourist base that benefits all of us to cater to moneybags Michael. And even he said he would allow a vote on the beach as far as privatization. It's our beach and we deserve a say in what happens to it. Just expect your vote to not count again if the gang of 3 gets back in.
The former brain trust majority designed the "remodeled" casino with a restaurant on the second floor THAT WAS NEVER THERE BEFORE. It has no historic value and was only for their greed to produce more income from the building. Then, in another Einstein moment, they turned down a proposer that would have taken both upstairs AND downstairs during the "remodel" so a staircase could be built in while they were doing the face lift. But no, that would have put too many eggs in one basket. So now we have a empty 5000 square foot restaurant space for how many years now? 5?
The only way the brain trust could make this white elephant work out financially without the parking revenue, was to have this fully occupied building. Now we are playing with "beach fund" but before we were talking about how the casino building would be self sustaining.
So the current majority have tried to find a way to make an impossible situation work out and they get slammed. Oh they're "selling the beach" or "privatizing the beach". What a crock.
Residents are still relegated to the lower lot like second class citizens. The two way traffic pattern on top is poorly thought out and even the restaurant needs to have a shuttle just to stay open.
Good thing all these piss poor decisions were made in public meetings and shoved down our throats by some of the same people who are promoting candidates to replace those trying to fix this mess.
I think that the reason they went forward with this casino rehab was the $5 million from the revenue bond. We were about to lose it. A former commission finally got it done and got the bond money. I was against all of it at the time and wanted to use the funds in our Beach Fund to renovate the existing building and leave the rest of the park alone. I am still of this mindset. If you recall, most of the developer backed guys were telling us that this building was about to collapse.
Of course you know the reason why it was not rented to Johnny Longboats. If they had defaulted, we would have been in a financial pickle. The city, through good financial advice, turned down their offer. However, it is what it is. Now it's way past time for this commission to make the building pay for itself. Rent the upstairs. The city is now using faulty construction as a reason for non-performance here.
One more thing--Scott Maxwell wanted Living Designs to win the architectural contract at our beach casino and divert from an historical design to something modern. That was the company that John Serdi worked for at the time. Szerdi got "in with" staff and got to design the restroom building at the south end. I believe that money was taken from the $6 mil rehab, eliminated the locker room area, and given to Szerdi to design bathrooms down there.
C'mon Lynn. You know the faulty construction and renting the upstairs are too very different problems. The design builder used shoddy equipment and allowed a design that was sure to leak when it rains among other defects.
Hind sight is always better and maybe common occupation of the up and downstairs by the same restaurant would have been very successful as they would be able to cater the events at the ballroom as well as have overflow seating for other events as well.
If the building wasn't ready to fall down, why were there only three posts standing that could be incorporated in the new structure? I seem to remember spalling concrete in several places.
The $5 million had nothing to do with the building and we came very close to losing it, mainly because of Cara Jennings.
Actually it was Cara Jennings who saved the $5 million and even personally negotiated 50 decal spaces that we weren't going to get with the County.
As far as 3 posts in old structure--you do know it is cheaper to build new than to renovate and reconstruct old.
As I said, the mindset was not to lease to one tenant that would have control (most of the leasable square footage) of our building in case of default by them.
I know what you said. What I am saying is that, looking back, it may have been smarter to rent it to them. We are being offered $3 per sq ft now and so far that is the only one interested in it.
Many people thought it was better to keep them separated. Now,not so sure.
The beach is very busy for 3 or 4 months out of the year. During this time you also have to factor in rain, cold weather, cloudy days, etc.so it's not lie there's a guaranteed revenue stream there. The amount of money brought into the city is small and seasonal. But if the pile of dirt is developed that would bring in year round tax revenues to the city that would probably add up to more than the .25 the blogger talks about, and would add lots of local jobs. Not dependant on the weather. But the brainiacs on this site can't see that. Which is why they support of bunch of people that have accomplished nada.
I love our beach, love the renovated Casino, love the park area, I love the pool. Three things need to be done, renovated bathrooms and locker-rooms, repairs to any construction deficiencies and rent the upstairs space.
Otherwise, the beach is popular with residents, tourists and visitors. I'd probably also institute peak parking pricing, charge more when its busier.
It (POC) probably won't create any local jobs.
As far as the candidates who I support, I don't understand your last sentence at all. What is accomplishment to you?
Making a ton of money? Who has done that who is in office right now?
Own their own home? Gary, Frank and Diane own their own homes and pay taxes.
No higher education? Frank and Diane both are college graduates and Ryan might be too.
So, explain your "accomplished nada" comment.
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