Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

More details emerge about that weird land-swap plan

Posted in:

Illinois

* So, was the governor unfairly criticized for doing what he normally does - hog all the attention for himself? This was in the Post-Dispatch over the weekend…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration has ordered private developers not to talk about plans for a huge new resort near Pinckneyville until Blagojevich himself can announce it, sources say. […]

The Toney Watkins Co., a Glen Carbon-based investment group, wants to build a Branson-like, 5,000-acre resort near Pinckneyville, possibly under a controversial land swap arrangement with the state. That controversy has been heightened in the past week by the dead silence of the company and its lobbyists, to the point of failing to even answer reporters’ phone calls.

* Seems believable enough, considering the guv’s past behavior. But now there’s a new story…

On Monday, [Geri Boyer, a Belleville consultant working with the developers] told The Associated Press no such gag order existed. Calling it “just a misunderstanding,” she said a DCEO letter to developers months ago had “boilerplate language” that they not discuss any negotiations with the state publicly. Developers misconstrued that as meaning they could not publicly talk about the project at all, she added.

Boyer declined to produce a copy of the letter to the AP, calling it confidential.

Andrew Ross, a spokesman for the state DCEO, said only that that agency was aware of the project and that “our discussions typically remain confidential, which is standard practice even when we are still in the very preliminary stages.”

In Monday’s statement, Toney Watkins, the development firm’s chairman and chief executive, said “the lack of communication with area media was based on a misinterpretation of communications” between the company and the DCEO.

* This is what Boyer and others connected with the proposal told the Post-Dispatch over the weekend…

Belleville consultant Geri Boyer, who is working with the developers, said the gag order was contained in a letter from the agency. “It says we are not allowed to talk with the press until the governor announces the project,” Boyer told the Post-Dispatch.

She didn’t specify what the letter referred to and said she couldn’t provide more details because of the agency’s confidentiality directive. She said she and others are pressing the agency to allow the developers to say more. “We really would like to talk with you,” she said.

Chicago attorney Walter R. Dale, general counsel and vice president for the Toney Watkins Co., also confirmed on Friday the existence of the letter, though he said he couldn’t detail its contents because it wasn’t in front of him. He said the company’s public silence has been partly because “we’re trying to get a clear reading on what we’re allowed to discuss” as laid out in the letter.

* Anyway, this massive project has been shrouded in secrecy from the get-go and the silence from the developers, whether ordered by the governor or not, has done a lot of harm to their project. Regardless, it still faces an uphill climb…

Lawmakers are pushing hard for the company to find private land for the resort, billing the land swap as a last resort.

“No matter what, (environmental) groups will oppose (the swap), and that makes it extremely difficult to get this done,” said state Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, who is helping to shepherd a bill through the Legislature that would authorize the natural resources department to make the trade. […]

Lawmakers, the developer and environmentalists met last week to discuss the proposal, and the environmental groups have spent the weekend preparing feedback.

Objections raised have included losing unique grassland habitat, dividing the park into two sections and establishing a precedent for “selling” state parkland.

Needless to say, more openness would be appreciated here. A lot more openness.

* RELATED: Developer wants state to help expand golf club

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 9:10 am

Comments

2000 off the north side - its hard to comment without having been there. The park seems to be a very perfect reason FOR preservation (and you can hunt there also!)

Some park land is simply corn fields, and swapping that would not be a big deal. This seems to be some prime conservation area, though.

If this is good, let’s look at Moraine Hills or Chain of Lakes. Talk about saving your budget!

Comment by Pat Collins Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 9:42 am
How likely is it that there is a spokesperson for Toney Watkins “misunderstanding” what their letter from Blagojevich states?

“It says we are not allowed to talk with the press until the governor announces the project,” This statement comes from a person quite clear as to what the Governor says in his letter.

When this news came out, the scramble was on. Why?

We’d like to know.

Because what we do know about our current administration is that they are untrustworthy because of their dishonest actions over the past four years.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 9:44 am
Anytime government is in negotiations with private companies on a project of this size and scope, it is imperative that it is open to the public. Anything less is suspect at best and can result in siphoning off of public assets at worst. This governor has already demonstrated that he is not to be trusted with anything he does. Why in the world would we want to trust him now? This could be great for Illinois, handled properly and openly, but I am very leery of trading away public assets without strong oversight. The issue of non-disclosure is absolute bull. But then they are delusional about Illinois citizens being total idiots. We the people deserve the right to say yea or nay on this so how about some openness….oops, there I go thinking we’re dealing with someone with integrity and honesty.

Comment by Justice Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 9:56 am
Developer wants state to help expand golf club

Jeez, if it isn’t long enough, just go out and buy a new one!

/bu-dum-dump-pish
//Thanks, floks, I’ll be here all night! Don’t forget to tip your waitress!

Comment by Avatar7 Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:01 am
I’m familiar with this part of the state and believe me, there will be nothing built that will remotely resemble Branson. We need to remember that Branson didn’t happen in a day - it took decades. Can’t this State be original enough to come up with its own “schtick”?

I actually look forward to Blago being the one to make the big announcement. It will be so like him to think he is announcing a huge new project for the State only to have it doomed to failure before getting off the drawing board. Perhaps he would even travel to Pinckneyville to make the announcement, but he first has to find it. bu-dum-dump-pish

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:14 am
If I didn’t know better,I’d think that VanMan lacks faith in Governor Blagojevich’s integrity and ability to govern.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:14 am
I don’t care if it is just a fraction of Branson, it’s still a good deal for a county with some of the highest unemployment levels in the state.

Pyramid State Park was expanded back in the 90s. Most of the land is not ecologically sensitive. By no means is it in the same league as Giant City, Starved Rock or Heron Pond. It’s partially reclaimed and some non-reclaimed coal lands along with fields. DNR acquired the extra land in part for future development.

From what I understand, the legislation would basically give DNR the same powers as federal agencies to trade parcels of property for development. The Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service has the ability. DNR needs the same.

Comment by Down in Egypt Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:21 am
If the deal is to be announced, announce it and provide details. To announce it and then shut up only creates the sense of corruption (which it may or may not have in reality).

Of course that area of the state received the Sparta shooting complex. Now just a little bit south the state wants a version of Disney of the Midwest. Why isn’t anything like this being discussed for the Forgottonia of west-central Illinois?

Comment by Fan of the Game Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:24 am
Having been on the receiving end of similar directives to keep something quiet until the Governor could announce it under both Edgar and Ryan, I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. And if you think this is bad, you should see what developers in Chicago have to put up with from the Mayor’s office - I’ve seen projects killed over premature disclosure.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:28 am
This same company and Mr. Watkins (then residing in Colorado)wanted to do this 4 years ago or so in St. Clair County and nothing came of it then. I think they couldn’t find money to buy the farm land near Mid-America Airport. Then they started looking just to the north in Madison County near Collinsville. Same results. Most resorts are in the Southern states for a reason. No snow or less winter weather. Interstate access is important and this latest site does not have that. I hope the State has a fall back or clawback clause that the property reverts back to the State if the developers do not perform, such as raise real money, break ground by a date certain, etc.

Comment by Wile Coyote Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:29 am
I am interested in the comment made by “Egypt” that ‘The DNR acquired the land in part for furutre development”

Acting as a land bank for development would seem to be off base for a state agency which has a mission to preseve state resources.

Are there other cases where this has occurred? It would seem, at best to be a case of mission creep, or possibly a matter of diverting scarse resources from the public mission to a private one.

In any case, it is important that the state be clearly better off after the swap than before. i.e. the new land needs to be environmentally better and/or substantially larger than what is traded.

Returning to the developmental issue, who is to pay for the new roadways to allow the thousands of visitors a place like that will need? I can name at least one 25M roadway improvement project that has been the planning stages for more than 20 years.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:37 am
It sounds to me that this boilerplate language would be helpful, to restrict a company from negotiating their business development deal in the press. That’s not necessarily a desirable outcome of having a more open or transparent process.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 11:43 am
I usually dont defend the Gov……

However, confidentiality on development deals is standard fair. TO protect the deal, to keep objectors at bay, to finalize agreements, to secure property, all are reasons the deals remain under wraps.

Also, one primary reason is out of respect for the office of the Gov.(I know an oxymoron under Blago) It is appropriate to allow the Gov to make an announcement and get the credit and the press pops. The Gov’s office decides if the locals get any credit. Also, The Gov’s office decides if any legislators get invited to the press conference or even informed.

Comment by Larry Mullholland Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 12:52 pm
Has anyone taken a look at the web site for this development company? What a joke. They haven’t even invested in a decent logo. How can they be taken serious at this stage?

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 2:02 pm
I also looked for everything I could find on the web on this group. I’m sure DCEO is being very careful and that means extra time.

I couldn’t find any financials anywhere, except an estimate of $620,000 sales in ‘06. I’m not sure sales of what. It’s hard to tell what (if any) operations this company currently consists of.

Their web site talks about management and/or operations of amusement/theme parks as if it were a current operation, but I can’t find any they operate. I’m not bothered by the website design, but I would be very worried about the total lack of substantive information on the site or anywhere else. They have a LOT of officers and directors for a company that doesn’t appear to be doing much of anything.

A couple of years ago I worked with a company that wanted to do a billion dollar resort development. They had a very impressive set of information, very thorough, control of the land they wanted to develop, and some of the pieces pre-sold. I believed they had a zero chance of success. I rate them MUCH higher than this group. I hope I’m wrong.

Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 3:41 pm
Wait a minute!

ANOTHER BRANSON!

Who wants that?
Since when is someone crying out for another venue for Yakoff Shmirnoff, the New Osmond brothers, Anita Bryant or Ripley’s Believe It or Not?

Have you been to Branson recently? It has lost more luster than Andy William’s forehead. If Branson can’t keep folks down on the trailer park, how can we expect the Ovaltine crowd to support another one here in Illinois.

Sounds like a huge boondoggle for some well-connected friend, doesn’t it?

If it flies as well as the Peotone Airport, we won’t be seeing a dime - just a faded sign; “Future Home of the Accordian Museum”.

Get Real - this whole thing stinks!

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 4:00 pm
Former Illinois Dept. of Conservation Director David Kenney has an op-ed piece about this today that is worth reading:

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2007/06/12/opinions/guest_columns/20563745.txt

Comment by Southern Journalist Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 4:57 pm
Are there enough washed up country/western singers to fill venues in both Branson and Rodson?

schnorf - “I’m sure DCEO is being very careful and that means extra time.”

Huh? God that’s funny. Best joke I’ve heard in many a moon.

Comment by Papa Legba Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 9:02 pm