Comments on: Jekyll Island Showdown: Chapman, Egan, Langford, Garvey

By: LovesJekyll

LovesJekyll — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:45:37 +0000

Congratulations are due to Mr. Wilson on doing a wonderful job of showing Georgians and other interested people what is at stake in the Jekyll development controversy. Senator Chapman and David Egan are to be commended for their courageous initiatives to protect Jekyll Island. In contrast, Linger Longer, JIA, and all the politicians who support development on this state treasure deserve to be exposed for their purely mercenary motives and their disservice to the people of Georgia. Mr. Wilson rightly suggests that the reason JIA and many politicians want to use Jekyll Island to pour money into the hands of developers is because much of it filters right back into the pockets of politicians, from the governor down to those state representatives who support development, and including those appointed on the JIA board who support development. Mr. Wilson is also right that JIAâ€™s and the politiciansâ€™ blatant lack of concern for the wishes of Georgians represents a serious breach of public trust. The people of Georgia (as well as out-of-state visitors) want this beautiful State Park to stay the way it is (other than modest revitalization of some hotels). It is a state treasure simply because it is so unspoiled and natural, a unique and beautiful place that visitors cherish, just the way it is. Let us all be thankful for what Jekyll offers and do all we can to protect it for posterity.

By: barrierisle

barrierisle — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:19:41 +0000

Together, Linger Longer and the JIA are poised to commit massive destructive impact on Georgia’s state-owned island, beloved by native Georgians and visitors from far and near.

Your complex would limit public access to the best Jekyll beaches. If you owned Jekyll, maybe…but you don’t. Jekyll, like the Mississippi River Promenade, was set aside for the people.

The mayor of Memphis wants to develop prime riverfront land given to the people of Memphis by the founders. A grassroots group is successfully fighting this land grab. You’d be surprised what people can do when they come together. And come together we will if you take our beaches and turn them into luxury condos for the wealthy.

We have many luxury hotels and condominiums in this area already. To list a few, we have The Cloister, The Jekyll Island Club, The King and Prince. Liberty Harbor will provide an enormous amount of condominiums, hotel rooms and shopping. Our Glynn County Board of Commissioners won’t rest until every square inch of St. Simons is developed and paved over. Georgia’s fragile coastal ecology is under siege by every politician except Jeff Chapman.

Nothing less than the existence of the great loggerhead turtles, shore birds, and the future of the Georgia coast itself is in your hands. So far, the score is people: 98, wildlife: 2, as far as I can tell. Be smarter than your predecessors. Scale it down…please! Move it back away from the dunes and the public beach. Respect the environment. If you don’t, we, the people of Georgia, will fight you for years to come. I urge everyone to support Senator Chapman in his resolution to keep Jekyll Island for the people of Georgia at http://www.jeffchapman.us.

By: chuck diefenderfer

chuck diefenderfer — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:40:48 +0000

I thank you also for this pod cast and your comments. I especially like the follow the money theme. I posted a comment months ago on the Linger Longer website in the same vain citing the “All the President’s Men” qupte from deep throat to follow the money. I asked how much Linger Longer or the Reynolds family has donated to Gov Perdue and prommised the JIA Board Members. This like my other comments to Linger Longer has gone unanswered.

By: carla

carla — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:37:48 +0000

Thank you for this excellent piece. The public and senators, who even have the law on our side, should not be having to struggle this hard to protect our environment and rare, beautiful places from private interests. Enough of the greed already.

By: Jean

Jean — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:52:00 +0000

Two nights ago, I again had the pleasure of driving along Beachview Dr. on Jekyll Island. I saw the full moon reflected on the ocean with only palm tress and scrub covered dunes as a border. I felt like I was in God’s front yard!! No one - not the JIA - or any developer - has the right to take this away from the people of Georgia.

We who care for the people’s park should be strongly supporting Senator Chapman.

By: PreserveJekyllIsland

PreserveJekyllIsland — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 06:10:56 +0000

I agree whole heartily with this statement. I do not personally live on Jekyll or in GA for that matter but I feel very passionate about this issue. The fact that the public of GA is against the issue and has been completly ignored so that obsene money can be made, it’s saddening. My (extended) family and my friends have been visiting the ialand for many years and the main attraction for us is the pure beauty of the open unspoiled beach. Put cement infront of that view and the beauty spoiled. I think the project needs to be scaled down and moved off the beach.

Also lets not leave out the wildlife. Would the wildlife of Jekyll benefit from condos and 700 more hotel rooms? Certainly not.

Here are some great sites to visit and participate in if you agree even partually with how I feel.

http://www.jeffchapman.us/
http://www.savejekyllisland.org/
http://www.myspace.com/savejekyll

By: bigfoot

bigfoot — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:39:45 +0000

I really appreciate having an opportunity to hear both sides of the story on the Jekyll development issue. It seems clear to me that we have the people of Georgia standing on one side of this issue and a developer trying to spin a project in a way that will make it seem as if it’s just what the public wants. I doubt if anyone outside the developer community believes that Jekyll, and the people of our state, would be better served by a beachside development project than by having an unobstructed public beach. I would, however, like to see the current oaceanside parking lots repaved with a permeable surface and to have some picnic grounds sprinkled along the way.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:09:46 +0000

Thank you, Wilson, for providing a venue that allows both sides of the debate to be heard. The public needs to know the simple truth. It does not need manipulated “facts” that justify radical overdevelopment. Jekyll Island is a state park, and it belongs to the people of Georgia. Income should not be the sole consideration for the state’s stewardship of this public property.

I appreciate the fact that Senator Chapman has the courage to stand for what is right for Georgia’s citizens, in spite of the governor’s opinion.

By: lojo

lojo — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:15:07 +0000

I am listeninig to your interview with the Jekyll crew now, and this is fabulous! I don’t know how you managed to get these 4 guys together for a public discussion. Good work, and thank you. You do a great job of moderating and of calling BS when you hear it. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. Keep up the good work, and please continue to help keep us informed. This is vital.

By: staunton

staunton — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:14:53 +0000

Your analysis is exactly correct. The people of Georgia don’t want their state park — Jekyll Island — turned into a fancy tourist mecca that financially benefits a handful of big developers and the grasping members of JIA.

We want our beautiful beach left in tact as it is and unspoiled. We want the existing crumbling hotels and shops spiffed up. And we don’t want more people living in our state park in private condos.

The governor and his political cronies are on their way to destroying Georgia’s jewel and Georgians must do what they can to try and stop them.