Alabama House Passes Gulf State Park Compromise
May 6th, 2009by Glynn Wilson
Updated Wednesday evening…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. May 6 — The Alabama House of Representative passed a compromise bill pushed by Gov. Bob Riley to build a four-star high rise spa, hotel resort and convention center on the Gulf State Park beach in Gulf Shores after a prolonged debate Wednesday that was largely ignored by the credentialed, mainstream press.
As we reported recently, Riley and David Bronner, head of the Retirement System of Alabama, have had their eyes on private development on what is now public property for some time. A number of legislators, including former Decatur Mayor Bill Dukes, a Democrat, seem to favor the bill without understanding the corrupt plan behind it.
House Bill 949 would allow the state to lease the public Gulf front property to a private developer for up to 70 years. The current state Concession Act limits such leases to 12 years.
Some legislators, including the chief sponsor, Frank McDaniel, D-Albertville, say the state does not have the money to do a more modest development that would be affordable to average Alabamians.
Opponents such as Jack Page, D-Gadsden, say the property, which includes a state wildlife refuge, is too ecologically valuable to be put into the hands of a private developer.
Steve McMillan, R-Bay Minette, says the bill is needed and disputed the reported facts that the plan calls for a 13-story high rise and elegant spa resort. He said it would likely be a 300-room hotel with only be about five stories, with the first two levels for parking. He said the seating capacity for convention meetings would be in the 1500 to 2000 seat range, not the monstrosity described by some opponents.
He said the state has already blown $1 million in bond money maintaining other state parks in disrepair, and involving private developers such as the West Paces Hotel Group out of Atlanta may be the only way to raise the money to build something that could stop the loss of conventions to Florida.
Historically, Gulf State Park has been a money-maker that helped support the other state parks. But since it was devastated by Ivan, it is no longer a money maker. But as our investigation revealed, Riley’s plan was hatched well before Ivan.
The new bill makes concessions to the Alabama Education Association and the State Employees Association, providing any new convention center and hotel would be developed by competitive bidding and would be staffed by state employees. The Alabama Supreme Court struck down Riley’s original plan, which called for a no-bid contract and the private developer would have been in charge of hiring.
The bill now will now move back to the Senate for conformation or a conference committee negotiation. The Legislature only has three more days to meet in this year’s session and pass this bill, including this Thursday and next Thursday and Friday, according staff sources.
We are monitoring the situation and then will be on our way to Gulf Shores for more local reporting on this corruption story. Check back soon for updates…
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May 7th, 2009 at 9:15 am
You can bet that Riley has some
“kick-back” going under the table for himself.
My guess is he is selling out the state to the backers of the Indians in Alabama. That maybe why he was so “gun-ho” on his little task force. I hope the legislature is smarter than he and WILL NOT pass what he
is pushing for on this bill!
I think everyone needs to call their Representative, NOW.
May 28th, 2009 at 10:33 am
I am researching this issue because I am in favor of a lower scale convention center development in Gulf Shores. I have lived there 2 years now and it is like a ghost town much of the year. I have been to conferences at San Destin Conference center the last two summers and they are overloaded with people.
Gulf Shores needs this along with a lot of environmental/marine education for it’s visitors and residents. Once again, we (Alabamians) are lagging behind due to those who like same old-same old. More than likely those who are against almost any growth are the older generation of which I am a part but have the mindset of a 30 year old; sorry but change is ineviditable.
I am totally against over development, but see a big need for the area to make a living.