Things are moving fast on Jekyll Island. Last year, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) got sued for a poorly executed (if not illegal) bid process. In the 2008 legislative session, Sen. Jeff Chapman tried to get the attention of the Oversight Committee to see if they would slow down the development plans of the JIA and Linger Longer, its “Revitalization Partner.” When the juggernaut appeared unstoppable, the law in the form of The Georgia Shore Protection Act stepped in to stop beachfront development. The skies cleared, the wind calmed and the ball sat in JIA’s court.
Then, on September 15th the Bleakly Advisory Group (the same group, I think, that handled the development bid process in 2007) revealed its report analyzing visitation on Jekyll Island. Needless to say, this analysis was greeted with some degree of skepticism considering the JIA’s previous conduct.
In this interview, Sen. Jeff Chapman, David Egan of Save Jekyll.org and Dr. Ken Cordell discuss the Bleakly Report. Dr. Cordell is a professor at the University of Georgia who is acting as a consultant to Sen. Chapman in evaluating the validity of the report’s findings. You can read his analysis, but his conclusion is:
In the title and in the lead paragraph of the Bleakly Group study, emphasis is on two things. First, development is described as an assumed future for Jekyll Island. Second, development is considered as the means of preference for increasing revenues. There are perhaps a number of solvent other options available that would enhance revenues and/or reduce costs. One could be hotel and associated improvements, but no new residential or commercial development. In the above review text, one model for taking into account the two primary goals of park management is offered—the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection model used by the National Park Service. The primary goals of park management, whether national or state, are providing quality visitor experiences and protection of park natural and cultural resources. VERP emphasizes careful consideration of visitor management and visitor numbers within a framework of carrying capacity. Increasing visitation and development dramatically can have significant and long-lasting effects on visitor experiences and park resources. Under current market conditions and fast developing trends, it is unclear whether new development would increase visitation. If visitation were increased to the forecasted levels identified as needed to increase revenues to between $45 and $50 million by 2023, it is unclear what the overall impacts would be. Interesting opportunities exist for further study of Jekyll Island options.
Then at a JIA meeting on October 6, 2008 Linger Longer revealed a development plan that is significantly different from the 40+ acre development it proposed last year. If you view the presentation Page 7 is entitled “We Listened and Learned.” Maybe so, I am not sure. The main changes are noted at Save Jekyll:
The project site has been reduced from 63 acres to 22 acres, and the cost from $352 million to $100 million.
The number of hotels has been reduced from three to two, with plans for the upscale 400-room hotel having been abandoned. The total number of hotel rooms has been reduced from 725 to 350.
The 277 unit condo village has been abandoned. If condos are included in the new plan, they will be built as loft units above the retail shops, and would be limited to 70 or so units.
Beachview Drive is not being rerouted as planned, but rather will intersect with Jekyll’s entrance parkway in a Y shaped fashion, without any loss of the current view of the ocean. This change in road design will necessitate amending Jekyll’s Master Plan, since 1.75 acres of undeveloped land will be affected.
No development will take place north of the convention center - the children’s playground and miniature golf course will stay where they are. The parking areas north of the convention center will be reconfigured and rehabilitated at the JIA’s expense.
The north (main) part of the convention center will be being renovated; the south part will be rebuilt. The total size of the new convention center will be close to that of the existing structure.
The 160 time-share units that were in the original plan are in the new plan as well and will be located between the convention center and the Days Inn.
Last, but not least, JIA presented a proposed amendment to the development plan which appears to be limited to making a nominal change to the entrance road onto Jekyll Island.
Due to what happened October 6th, this interview may be a little out of date, but even these developments do not insure Jekyll’s future. Whatever the development that becomes a reality, the fact remains that the developer, Linger Longer, is going to make tens of millions of dollars. With so much at stake it is regretable that the initial bid process was unfair and flawed. There will always be a taint on whatever is built.
There is also concern that the ultimate contract between the JIA and Linger Longer will give too much control to Linger Longer over all future development. That contract is being negotiated and vigilance is the watchword. Stay tuned!
Georgia Law sets out the powers. duties and responsibilities of the Jekyll Island State Park Authority and it‘s Executive Director. Under the Georgia Code the Jekyll Island Authority acts in a fiduciary capacity as trustee to the citizens of Georgia. It can and should be held responsible for it‘s actions, which are legally mandated to serve the best interests of the citizens of Georgia. As a branch of Georgia State government, it’s actions can be legally reviewed and scrutinized by the citizens of this state.
Apparently the state leadership and the Jekyll Island Authority are devising a plan to privatize Jekyll Island State Park, and hand over the day-to-day administration of the State Park to resort developer Linger Longer. Linger Longer was the winning developer chosen in 2007 by the JIA to build out not only a beachside project, but also future projects on the island, the nature and full extent of which have yet to be revealed to the public..
Linger Longer will presumably perform the quasi-governmental functions of management, operation and pricing of Jekyll‘s lodging and amenities, while at the same time functioning as a private developer on the island.
However, the Georgia Code makes no provision for such a radical change in the administration of Jekyll. Since this arrangement exists nowhere in the governing law of Jekyll Island, the law could not possible anticipate or address the issue of Linger Longer’s fiduciary responsibility and accountability to the public. These duties and responsibilities are outlined by the Georgia Code as belonging to the Jekyll Island Authority and it’s Executive Director, not to a private entity.
Apparently we are supposed to trust the good intentions of a private company, given wide-ranging quasi-governmental powers, to do right by the people of Georgia.
If Linger Longer is given carte blanche to operate a state park while at the same time functioning as a private, profit-motivated developer within that same state park, there is no question that there is an enormous and glaring potential conflict of interest in these competing roles.
It is especially troubling that these contract negotiations have gone on behind closed doors and out of view of the people of Georgia, whose ownership of Jekyll is clearly stated in Georgia Law.
Before any contract with Linger Longer is finalized or signed, it is imperative that it’s terms be fully disclosed and discussed. Public review and comment are critically important, since Jekyll is a public asset of huge importance to the citizens of Georgia. They are the most important stakeholders in the future of Jekyll Island State Park. They should not be ignored or left out of the loop.
The curious thing about the headlong thrust into “Redevelopment” of Jekyll Island is the “Build it and they will come” philosophy. Even before the current financial meltdown, we look around and see building projects slowed to a crawl or halted. After all the hoopla about Liberty Harbor, the only structure showing on the purported $1B+ project is one truly ugly house. Other projects to the south of us suggest the possibility of bankruptcy. Somehow, Jekyll Island is immune to the current financial viruses.
As Jeff Chapman points out, the current board has given away some $14M to the Trammel Crow crowd. This on what was a good business deal without the unconscionable giveaway. Now, on top of that, they are apparently forging ahead on their version of privatization, allowing Linger Longer to dictate leases in the proposed development. What’s next? As my daddy always told me, follow the money trail - don’t be surprised if it leads to the governor’s office.
Wilson - Thanks for continuing to cover the Jekyll development story. I know many Georgians who appreciate the opportunity to listen to what some of the principals, and others, involved with the Jekyll issue have to say about where the park is heading or should head.
Through your show, people have been able to gain some insights into such issues as 1) the financial incentives handed out to developers by the JI; 2) the problems with the over-sized and misplaced town center project initially proposed by Linger Longer; 3) the lawsuit filed by rival developer Wade Shealy, who claimed foul play in the JIA’s selection of Linger Longer as the winner in the Jekyll development contest; 4) the whistle-blowing by JIA board member Ed Boshears regarding the inner workings and politcs of board operations; and 5) the problems with the study just completed by the Bleakly Group dealing with the long term effects of development on Jekyll Island. That’s an awful lot of issues to arise over the revitalization of one, small state park. Something seems amiss with the Jekyll situation, but I can’t say just what it is. I have a feeling, however, that there are more chapters to come in the Jekyll development story, which is beginning to read like a mystery novel. What’s next? Does the JIA decide to bow out of the picture and have Linger Longer run the park? Does Sen. Chapman unearth more JIA shenangians? Will the next legislative session see Jekyll back on the stage? Will the next governor reverse the course that Sonny Perdue has been steering for Jekyll? Lot of questions; too few answers, for now.
I agree with Joan that any contract of this magnitude between the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Longer, or any other private entity, should be open to public scrutiny and reviewed by the legislature. However, let’s remember that the blame does not rest with Linger Longer. LL is in business to develop property and to make money. It’s all they know. The problem is the Jekyll Island Authority, which for the most part operates as if it is in a vacuum, as if it is above the law, and as if ethical behavior was a completely foreign concept. THEY ought to know BETTER.
I attended the meeting at which the Bleakly Advisory Group, which was hand-picked behind closed doors by a former JIA Chairman to perform a number of consulting functions for the JIA, presented their “capacity study.” I came away with a very bad taste in my mouth. First, it was obvious from their comments and their attitudes that the gentlemen from Bleakly thought that they were speaking strictly to Jekyll residents. Just for the record, I was one of a number of concerned citizens from Atlanta who drove down specifically to attend this meeting, despite the difficulties of finding gas in Atlanta. One citizen from Athens spent considerable money in airfare and rental cars to attend the meeting. Thousands of Jekyll visitors from across the state and the country might have attended also if the meeting had been more centrally located and at a more convenient time.
What is and has been at the root of all of the public’s discontent is that the people who are supposed to be stewards of Jekyll Island State Park see this priceless resource as an expensive, underutilized piece of coastal property, period. Jekyll Island State Park visitors were referred to in this meeting as “revenue producing units,” the land was appraised as “$781,000 per acre,” etc. Despite what Jekyll Island State Park has represented to generations of Georgians, it was reduced to mere numbers, and flawed numbers at that, in this report. I was most disgusted at the implication near the end of the presentation that if the current plan to raise many millions of dollars through the exploitation of Jekyll Island State Park is not allowed to go through, then the residents will pay for it with their leases. The average age of a Jekyll Island resident is 75 years old, and many of them are World War II veterans, the remnants of a much more honorable generation. Their homes are modest and well kept. They are especially well kept in the permanent neighborhoods. Bleakly’s appraisal appears to be that those whose houses are not in the rental pool, and therefore not “revenue producing units,” are second class citizens who will pay dearly for taking advantage of the JIA’s charity. Of course, it was pretty easy for BAG to pick this attitude up from the members of the Jekyll Island Authority Board, who routinely behave in a dismissive attitude towards Jekyll Island residents. How much richer is the visitor experience because of these average citizens of Georgia, the Jekyll Island residents, who take great pride in their homes, contribute untold thousands of hours and dollars to civic organizations and Jekyll Island attractions annually, and who are the true stewards of Jekyll Island State Park?
I realize that nothing can alter that monetary filter which obscures our vision in the present culture. However, thanks to vigilant, responsible citizens like David and Mindy Egan, Jeff Chapman, and Ken Cordell, who know the TRUE value of our critical coastal lands to the environment, to the endangered species who depend on undisrupted habitat for their very survival, and to the visitors who seek out rare places like Jekyll Island State Park to experience nature as it was meant to be, our children and grandchildren may someday have a shot at finding out what a barrier island that is not covered by buildings looks like. Thanks, Wilson, for airing this enlightening discussion. People need to know about this issue and take action!
We are fortunate there are some who continue to follow and report on what is happening on Jekyll Island. Thank you.
Wilson Smith asked if there is anything that can be done to stop the Jekyll Island Authority from doing what it wants to do, and, slow the decisions being made for Jekyll Island down until the Legislature comes back into session?
It seems to me that the allegations of corruption by former JIA board member Ed Boshears should be enough. Those allegations and his request for a Grand Jury investigation should stop, immediately, the members of this JIA board from making any decisions for the future of Jekyll Island State Park until an investigation is completed.
Why are we not hearing more about those allegations? The citizens of Georgia deserve to know the truth about what is going on within their State Park.
The JIA and LLC have done nothing to earn my trust. It will only be through, very carefully written, legislation that Jekyll Island State Park will be protected for future generations.
Thanks to Mr. Wilson and the participants for raising these vital issues about Jekyll Island’s future. Thousands of visitors to Jekyll Island fully support your concerns
The Bleakely Group’s report is nauseating. This group is completely out of touch with what is best for Jekyll Island and what visitors want for this unique state park. They are motivated solely by money, and are clueless about fragile ecology and barrier islands. JIA completely shirked its stewardship in asking a developer to write such a report.
Linger Longer’s proposal, though reduced in scale, is NOT at all good news for those who truly care about Jekyll. The new plan still has far too much proposed development that would hurt the ecology and the wildlife, and would disrupt the island’s serene character. Building 160 condos on the beach in addition to the two new proposed hotels in the town center would make the Jekyll main beach crowded and similar to other beach cities. Seeing these taller buildings (new hotels and convention center) from the beach would change the character of Jekyll’s unique beaches that currently offer serenity, rest, and rejuvenation for Jekyll’s visitors. Changing the main entry road as proposed would create construction and related woes and change the island’s character, as would having this huge development right as you come in, instead of the low, conference center they currently have which is ideally suited to the island, recently renovated, and affordable for many groups who like to visit the island. It is frightening to hear that this development is slated to start in 2009. It would severely detract from the peace and charm of this unique and restful visitor location.
The whole revised plan is unnecessary except to make money for LLC and JIA. Moreover, LLC is not at all to be trusted in keeping to this plan and may well add other projects as they go along. They should NOT be given the green light to pursue any development on Jekyll.
As Dr. Cordell wisely points out, there are other ways to “enhance revenues and/or reduce costs….hotel and associated improvements, but no new residential or commercial development.” Indeed, development should NOT be “an assumed future for Jekyll Island.”
The JIA and the politicians involved in trying to develop Jekyll against the wishes of visitors from the rest of Georgia and other states need to be held accountable for their unethical behavior and their continued shenanigans. A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION all the way to the Governor is the way to go.
Thank you once again in raising these important issues. Let us save Jekyll Island from the grabby hands of greedy politicians and developers!
I love hearing the voices of reason. It is only just and right that the people of GA should be engaged in the decision making process for development of a state park. Thank you David Egan for questioning why there is not more examination about what visitation increases would be with the reconstruction of the five hotels, two of which you said just broke ground. Sounds like the JIA needs to toss out the DOT visitation study and adopt what IPJI learned. Now that the new plan has been unveiled, a two thirds reduction sounds good, but these other concerns mentioned really scare me. (and sorry but I don’t want my visitor experience to have to encounter retail, which I understand is included in the revised plan.) To reiterate, Bleakely was already aligned with the JIA. The JIA’s “one voice” was made largely by Perdue. Mr. Boshears is sure to be missed! Right, Linger Longer may not be the real bad guy here, but Linger Longer is majorly associated with Perdue. If this is a slippery slope situation in which Linger Longer and JIA privatize this island, that is simply theft. Leasing Jekyll Isand State Park to LL = theft of Georgian’s state park. Thank you Senator Chapman for your continued committment. Thank you Dr. Cordell for advising that Bleakly was not expertise in their study. Thank you Wilson Smith for covering the Jekyll plight.
The Bleakly Reports on September 15th, 2008, came to the conclusion that to make Jekyll Island self sufficient it is necessary to double hotel and residential accommodations. This will require substantial infrastructure improvements, undoubtedly exceeding the 25 million dollars in the Bond issue to JIA. This bond is going to be very difficult to pay back because Jekyll Island Authority has decided to rebate much of the hotel fees in their huge concessions to Trammell Crow. The rebates in place may require similar increased rebates to Hampton Inn (Ocean Oaks) and to Linger Longer.
The Bleakly Report, which calls for doubling accommodations to solve Jekyll Island Authority finances, will inevitably increase the need for more infrastructure and create more environmental damage. What is needed is alternative methods to make Jekyll Island self-sufficient such as:
1. Making the State responsible for maintenance and restoration of the Historic District. This valuable State owned property is an extremely important part of Georgia’s heritage and its maintenance should not require increased fees on residents by the Authority. It has been previously proposed the State recognize its obligation and assume direct financing of the historic district. This should be the subject of new legislation at the Capitol.
2. The Bleakly Report does not consider the fact that Jekyll Island residents pay County taxes but do not receive comparable services from the County. The County should either take over responsibility for more services, such as Island based fire protection, or reimburse the Authority for not providing all of the services that County residents receive.
3. The Jekyll Island Authority will evade or rescind their Turtle Ordinance whenever the Governor tells them to do so. The legislature should pass a law confirming the Turtle Protection easements that Jekyll Island Authority has enacted.
4. The concept that a State Park should be self-sufficient is an oxymoron. State parks are created and exist for the recreation and enjoyment of citizens. It is enough that the residents and visitors must pay a “Jekyll Parking Fee”. It is not justifiable that Jekyll Island must make a profit. I know of no other State or Federal Park that requires them to be self-sufficient or have to generate a profit. The law that requires Jekyll Island to be self-sufficient should be repealed.
The perception promoted by the Jekyll Island Authority is that LL has listened to comments by citizens and conservation groups and scaled down their proposed “Revitalization” of Jekyll Island.
Nothing is further from the truth. The entire reason that the LL development plan was drastically scaled down is due to the meltdown on Wall Street. Dependence of LL on investor money for their grandiose “revitalization” scheme bombed out when the financial stream dried up for new developments. Existing projects for tourist development in the Golden Isles have been drastically curtailed. An excellent example is the current problem facing Sea Island now that they have completed hundreds of millions of dollars of new facilities. Combination of tight money and sharply decreased tourism is the real reason LL has scaled back their property development on Jekyll Island.
So any idea that this scale back was shaped by pressure from citizens of Georgia and the rest of the country is misleading. The present JIA is the same group that warmly accepted the original LL proposal (minus one member now). Now that LL’s development has scaled back from 65 acres to 21 acres, the Authority will simply follow orders from Atlanta and rubberstamp their approval.
JIA will approve and rubberstamp anything LL comes up with.
Among the many features wrong with the currently proposed LL development is the fact it proposes to plow up Beachview Drive to increase the amount of beachfront access they need to maximize their profit per acre. LL’s proposal euphemistically calls condominiums timeshares. Although Jekyll Island may need new updated hotel facilities, the real driving force is merely to maximize LL profits. The new LL proposal still impacts maritime forests and also requires the building of lagoons which are nothing more than borrow pits for a cheap source of fill dirt.
From the very onset, LL has proposed that JIA pay for much of the infrastructure and other expense required by LL’s development. Their initial proposal required JIA to fund 84.5 million dollars of improvements. Now that LL has scaled development down from 65 to 21 acres; they still want 25 million of JIA money. Under Governor Purdue, LL could expect as much bond money as they want and Governor Purdue will ram it through the legislature. The Authority and ultimately Jekyll Island residents are going to be saddled with payment of State bonds.
One of the enduring features of the new LL plan is that it wants to demolish the present Aquarama which was renovated at a cost of $7million in the last 10 years. There is nothing wrong with this beautiful facility with its sweeping panorama of ocean. If LL needs expanded convention space, they should build it, not destroy the existing paid for Aquarama.
Although it has been voiced that LL has no plans to grow outside of their current project, that does not fit their previous position as a revitalization partner with the JIA. It merely follows the Trojan Horse analogy which appeared a gift but was merely a ruse to gain entrance to the city and destroy it.
We must keep in mind that Governor Purdue and his henchman Jerry Keen stand solidly behind LL. Keen is going to require plenty of financial support from deep pockets in his quest for Governorship in 2010. So, pressure for Jekyll Island development is going to persist even after Governor Purdue, if Jerry Keen’s plans progress.
Finally, the idea that the Governor has the power to appoint members of the Authority and remove them when it suits him really means that Jekyll Island is nothing more than the Governor’s playpen. The JIA should be appointed by the State Legislature or elected by the public and should not operate at the whim of the occupant of the Governor’s office. We need to change the law.