We're one of the few states in the Union with undeveloped coast line and undeveloped mountains.For example, Great Wolf Resort has announced plans to build a 400-room resort and conference center on 20 acres at Lake Lanier's Mary Alice Park, including a for-guests-only indoor water park. The city of Cumming pledged $10 million in incentives for the project, the state added $6 million for road work and Forsyth County pledged $5.1 million for road improvements, for a total incentive package of $21.1 million.
(The county doesn't have the money, but will ask for the $5.1 million in a project list for a proposed special-purpose local-option sales-tax referendum in February.)
Those incentives are absolutely unnecessary.
We don't need to sell our souls to get that developed into homes and resorts.
If the developer can't make money without a taxpayer hand out, then they don't need to be a developer.
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There is also a fight going on over the private development of Jekyll Island State Park. Trammel Crow is receiving a rent break from the politically appointed Jekyll Island Authority that could top $10 million for developing an area that sits right behind the dunes from a gorgeous stretch of beach. Why would someone need an incentive to develop that type of property? The give away is detailed in a 7/23/07 story in the AJC.
Linger Longer Communities is "suggesting" that the state pay at least $45 million to what's believed to be $84 million (over the life of the project) to build a new convention center (and the parking lot) on the island next to their 64-acre proposed island village that will put three hotels and hundreds of condo units on a previously undeveloped stretch of the main beach.
One Republican is actually trying to stop the over-the-top development of the publically owned land by attempting to keep the main beach accessible to the public. jeffchapman.us has his resolution up.
Back story on the LLC deal can be found here: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/071507/geo_184464630.shtml
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