Comment Up
September 15, 2015
Mr. Michael Bornstein
City Manager
City of Lake Worth
7 North Dixie Highway
Lake Worth, FL 33460
Dear Mr. Bornstein,
Please consider this notice of our intent to withdraw from the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) as it relates to the Lake Worth Beach Casino Complex.
We remain committed to the City’s progress through our significant commercial and residential holdings in Lake Worth, as well as our continuing support of community initiatives. Unfortunately, the current ITN process has been derailed by a lack of clear direction and structure. Additionally in our estimation the misinformation that has been propagated in recent months – specifically as it relates to the reality of the precarious financial stability of the beach complex, and ongoing questions about funding of the previous complex renovation which has raised the cost of water to every resident of Lake Worth. Further exacerbating the problem is the number of times the “goalposts have been moved” by staff regarding the size and scope of the project making it impossible for the ITN to be completed in a fair and responsible way.
The positive results from our recent open community meeting on August 24th attended by over 250 residents, as well as our ongoing neighborhood and small business outreach program have made it clear that stabilizing the current budget shortfall of the beach casino complex and responsible, reasonable and sustainable upgrades to the facility though a partnership with the private sector is desired by a large component of the public. We are hopeful the financial needs of the city, as well as the now well-documented desire of the residents to have an improved pool and casino property, can be addressed in a more structured, responsive way, and in a more timely manner.
Sincerely,
Steven Michael
Hudson Holdings
Read the original letter
22 comments:
HH is full of it. They believe that our beach is unstable? Thanks Bornstein and the BS. Thanks Scott for feeding the frenzy. What does the cost of water being raised in LW have to do with it? I was at that meeting and very few people wanted them at our beach. Delusionary.
This is an interesting letter. There is no telling what their game is. They wanted 66,000 s.f. and got it whittled down to 22,000. Greed still prevails. I can't believe, especially with Szerdi involved, that they will easily walk away. Time will tell. In the meantime, perhaps they can keep the rats out of the Gulfstream.
If they really are smart business people, they will back out of the Gulfstream too. This city is too toxic for any reasonably minded business person who wants to make any (oh no the dirty word) progress in LW. So much potential in ole el dub. Run for the hills guys... or at least down to Delray where you can actually make something happen. Or maybe up to West Palm, they know how to make a city great.
They certainly no how to spin, who is this large component they speak of? I doubt they have gone away from good, I'm sure negotiations continue outside the sunshine.
@anon 2:45
A 3.5 percent increase in water rates was proposed. That increase was approved.
The city intends to use the money to help pay back a $6 million loan it took out to help repair the Lake Worth Casino building.
Pay pay pay.... Deficit....deficit...deficit...and those locker rooms!!!!
The spin? Probably John Szerdi. I never believed they had any intention of developing this hotel and most people in the neighborhood here don't believe them either.
this city can't do anything right---the city belongs to homeless--rehab-and uneducated people who really doesn't know how to run a city---get ready for things to get real bad
Wise business decision, anything with the name "Lake Worth" is a red flag and destined to fail.
Publix will be a Presidente type market in the next 3-4 years. The only new businesses that are successful and flourishing are bars and sober houses. The future is here and it's imploding!
Don't know why anyone would want to visit this craphole. Anyone staying at a Hilton is not want to go and mingle with the caliber of people at the beach. Hudson shouldn't do anything nice for this town after being told to get and called crooks and greedy. Know that there is one complex on Federal South of 6th that's been fixed up with a new sign "Hudson Flats". Maybe they'll turn the Gulf Stream into a halfway house!
Well, an awful lot of those people visiting our beach are tourists spending their money here. The people who go to our beach are just regular folks that I can see. Hudson wasn't interested in doing anything "nice for this town." They were interested in making a lot of money from our most valuable asset.
anon 2:45
Who did they borrow the money from? Who are they paying?
I think you might have been asking 4:43 anonymous above at 8:19. The $6 million was borrowed from ourselves. Our water increase has nothing to do with the beach. It is to help pay for our RO and cost of capital improvements. Have no clue as to what Hudson is talking about but they have taken a huge dig at our city management.
Thanks for reconfirming that we borrowed from ourselves (the City)
as I have seen other stories as one in the PALM BEACH POST BY KEVIN
THOMPSON WHO MENTIONS THAT LW BORROWED THE MONEY AND NOW HAS TO PAY IT BACK, like we borrowed it from someone else.
Thanks
for the person who thinks West Palm Beach is a great place, with all the tall buildings, then why don't you go live in WPB where you will be happy. Lake Worth has always been a lovely town. We don't want tall buildings where the sun doesnt shine down on the streets WPB is starting to look like a lot of the big towns like NY. Lake Worth wasnt meant to be a big city, and that is what brings people here to live.
After spending millions of dollars for the Gulfstream plus another 60 million to renovate, you don't think they should be treated with some respect? You went to their meeting at the Casino and bitched about the refreshments served and want them and John Szardi out of town? Hope they paint the building with murals and graffiti and make it into a halfway house.Hope that will make you proud! Go to church as your such a good Christian.
Obviously you're NOT a Christian at all @9:24pm.
Now, Christians don't lie. Spent "another 60 million to renovate" the Gulfstream? I can't see where they've done one thing there other than pruning a few trees and getting another broken window. The only r4eason they pruned was because of code complaints. How long have they owned it now?
They still have a lien on the books.
P.S. Never "bitched" about the food. What I said was that they didn't spend too much on it.
You can't get your wish on painting it with graffiti or making it into a sober Home...wrong zoning. But they want a zoning change there.
some keep talking about tall buildings short building--people we have a huge problem it not the heights of buildings get a education or go back under the rock
HH should just rent the space above Mulligans for whatever they feel they need to enchance their Gulfstream project. That would solve alot of problems. Just RENT it instead of trying to take over the whole complex. Why would the City even consider giving away the best amenity they have. Not many cities can boast their beaches in this county. Just figure it out without giving it away.
Thanks to your continued negative blog about Lake Worth, the city is going to hell in a hand basket i.e. sober homes and homeless. Those tourists you talk about who spend money here WILL BE GONE! Do you not get that you have to plow back money into the city to improve roads etc in order to attract tourists????
C'mon Lynn try to help our city instead of condemn it.
My TRUTHFUL blog, anonymous at 12:08.
You should get a job as a comedy writer.
The city just conjured up a way to get #32.5 million. Not enough for you? You want to hand it over to your developer friends?
Boy, this letter has Szerdi's ass cheeks all over it ! When were the Commissioners told about this? I'm sure the terrible trio knew long before Mcvoy and Maier were told.
Amoroso , Maxwell and Triolo were all starting to panic about their re-election chances . They saw Szerdii get tarred and feathered by the people of Lake Worth when he tried to help Hudson Holdings turn our PUBLIC beach into a PRIVATE club!
Telling H.H. to back off until after the election to take the pressure off you three sellouts won't help.
Note to the midget minority who mistakenly think they run this town: Keep underestimating the number of honest people in this town. We'll keep kicking your corrupt asses.
I understand the City of LW is a SANCTUARY CITY which is for illegals
to live in, this is another horrible deal, how come our City Manager didn't fight this? How did this happen? No wonder Lake Worth is the city that have the most bicycles stolen.
Post a Comment