Senator: Jekyll Island not a done deal
October 15, 2008 at 6:23 pm by Thomas Wheatley in NewsIn an op-ed distributed today, Republican State Sen. Jeff Chapman of Brunswick — an ardent supporter of Jekyll Island under the Gold Dome — says even though Linger Longer has drastically scaled back its redevelopment plan for the state park, the matter is far from settled.
On October 6th, Linger Longer Communities revealed its revised plan for a Jekyll Island town center. The new plan, at first glance, suggests a town center much different than the over-sized and condo-dense beach village in Linger Longer’s original proposal, and closer to what many Georgians have been calling for over the past year. While the town center question may be decided in the public’s favor, the long-term future of Georgia’s only coastal state park, unfortunately, is far from secure.
The Jekyll Island Authority’s planning consultant, the Bleakly Advisory Group (BAG), recently presented a study designed to provide a framework for determining the appropriate level of future development on the island. While professional long-term planning for the future of the people’s park is needed, the Authority has done a disservice to the people of Georgia by approaching this task in an upside down manner.
Instead of employing experts in the field of public land planning, the JIA hired BAG, a firm that headed the team that selected Linger Longer Communities as the Authority’s private partner but has a serious lack of experience in public land planning. Instead of focusing on how future development would affect the quality of the visitor experience, BAG focused on hyping the financial benefits for the Authority from a growth scenario that would more than double the existing number of Jekyll’s residences and lodgings. Instead of asking Jekyll’s visitors what the future of Jekyll should hold, BAG excluded the public from the planning process, preferring instead to guess at what Georgians want for their own state park. BAG’s errors in methodology are matched by problems in the report itself.
The report says Jekyll’s projected build-out aims to produce a 20 percent rise in visitation when compared to peak figures of the late 1980s, but BAG calls for a 125 percent increase in the park’s current number of lodgings and residences, far beyond what is needed to produce the 20 percent increase in visitors. The study suggests that Jekyll’s build-out is small in comparison to development seen at other coastal resorts. BAG has missed the point here. Jekyll is a state park which, by its very nature, is different from other coastal vacation sites. Comparisons to heavily developed private resorts, therefore, are both misleading and meaningless.
In BAG’s vision of the new Jekyll, daily room rates would increase 7 percent a year to $240 a day by the end of the forecast period. Room rate increases of this size may look fine to the JIA but are out of step with Georgia law mandating Jekyll’s affordability and would price the park beyond the reach of most Georgians.
The report accepts as fact the JIA’s need for $99 million to cover what BAG refers to as a financial “wish list,” but the items on this list have yet to be justified, prioritized, or proven to be cost-effective. Worse yet, BAG forecasts that the projects and infrastructure needs on the wish list could be funded by $100 million of revenue bonds, part of which would help cover the cost of private development within a state park. Are we now to believe that privatized profits and socialized costs are good for our free market system?
Add to the above concerns the possibility that the public-private partnership now under negotiation between the JIA and LLC may lead to what amounts to the privatization of Jekyll’s revenue-generating facilities, and we can see why there is cause for concern over the JIA board’s park stewardship.
Charting the future of a public asset as unique as Jekyll should be done by the best of the best in the field of public land planning, yet, for whatever reasons, the JIA chose to settle for less. The Authority needs to make things right by having experts review the BAG report and outline how best to manage and improve the park. Planners, stakeholders and elected officials must recognize the fundamental truth that Jekyll is a state park set aside for the plain people of Georgia, and that park planning will not be worth the paper it’s written on unless it serves this truth faithfully.
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Sen. Jeff Chapman represents the 3rd Senate District which includes Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn and McIntosh counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.656.0045 or by e-mail at jeff(dot)chapman(at)senate(dot)ga(dot)gov
October 16th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I am very upset after reading Sen. Chapman’s commentary on the Jekyll study done for the JIA by the Bleakly Group. News reports have been indicating that the Jekyll Island Authority and its partner Linger Longer Communities had settled on a scaled-down version of the Jekyll town center project that has been heavily criticized over the past year or so. Now I read that the town center project is just one small piece of a scenario that envisions a Jekyll with 3,700 lodgings and housing units and a summer population of more than 15,000 people!
According to Sen. Chapman, who has a history of being on target when speaking or writing about the Jekyll development situation, the company that did the “Analysis of the Long Term Impacts of Development on Jekyll Island” does not have experience in public land planning, therefore the study ended up being flawed in the ways he describes. I would like to know why that company, the Bleakly Group, was selected by the JIA. I would like to know why Bleakly’s people did not first determine why visitation to Jekyll has declined in recent years and then address the causes of that decline. I mean, how do you attempt to fix a problem if you don’t know what caused it? The obvious way to approach this problem is to ask Jekyll’s customer, and potential customers, what they would like to see changed on the island, and then go from there.
Instead, it looks like the JIA asked Bleakly to figure out how much stuff had to be built on Jekyll in order to give the JIA the $100 million it says it needs to handle deferred infrastructure and capital improvement projects. This looks to me like butt-backwards thinking. A better approach would be to improve the quality of the experience that visitors to Jekyll have while on the island as a means of drawing more people to the park, and then reap the profits from increased visitation to fund the projects the JIA says need funding. Such improvement does not necessarily entail building condos, time-shares and the like. In fact, that kind of development is likely to turn off many Jekyll visitors, sending them to other coastal resorts b/c Jekyll will have lost its uniqueness.
Maybe I’m being a bit simple-minded here, but I think that if the JIA allowed developers to fix up all the oceanfront hotels, make then reasonably-priced, and just build a modest sized town center with a new convention center, then Jekyll would have all the development it needs, and visitation to the island would grow.
And, by the way, since the JIA says it’s cash-strapped, why is it needlessly handing out multi-million dollar ’incentives’ for developers to build on prime oceanfront land? These incentives were provided before the U.S. economy turned sour, at a time when the real estate market was booming. Are we to believe that oceanfront land has lost its appeal for developers and that the JIA has to give away the park to find a developer willing to build for free on publicly-owned land?
October 16th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Bravo for Jeff Chapman’s common sense comments. The Bleakly Group will say whatever JIA wants it to; any business that has ever hired a consultant knows that! With the economy sour, traffic to a moderately priced state park like Jekyll will surely grow – and the plain people of Georgia will appreciate it like never before.
Don’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg just to keep Linger Longer in the money.
October 16th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Recent news stories indicate that statewide budget cuts threaten to close state parks and privatize many public recreational facilities. This announcement is startling, in view of the obesity epidemic that affects virtually every family in Georgia, and in consideration of the accessibility to outdoor recreational facilities so desperately needed by those families. Georgia is one of 14 states nationwide and one of two southeastern states with no consistent funding stream for parks and recreation.
To ensure continued funding of parks and recreation through the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, Georgia is required to produce a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) every five years. SCORP 2008-2013, published by the Parks Historic Sites and Recreation Division of the Department of Natural Resources and available on this site http://www.gastateparks.org/net/content/go.aspx?s=132975.0.1.5, challenges by its findings the wisdom of park closings, and it calls into question the ethics of turning over public lands to private profit, a situation exemplified by the potential revitalization of Jekyll Island State Park. Here are some of the highlights of SCORP 2008-2013:
SCORP research indicates that the top five reasons Georgians participate in outdoor recreation are to have fun, to be with family and friends, to relax or reduce stress, to exercise and improve health, and to experience or enjoy nature.
SCORP 2008-2013 accordingly describes these strategic actions:
Create programs and activities in parks promoting healthy lifestyle choices.
Identify and reduce barriers to use of outdoor recreation facilities.
Attend to segments of the population that are under-served.
Capitalize on the public’s growing desire to travel to experience nature and participate in outdoor recreation events and programs, and maximize tourism potential associated with conservation of our natural resources.
In the introduction to SCORP 2008-2013, Governor Sonny Perdue states these goals:
Promote fitness.
Reconnect our youth and families with nature.
Build the next generation of environmental stewards.
Enhance our state and local economy.
The research that went into SCORP 2008-2015 included these recommendations from the public:
Increase conservation/preservation of natural resources, specifically including:
Conservation of large, undeveloped tracts.
Conservation of native species and habitats.
Conservation of green space.
Less development in parks.
More coastal parks.
Conservation of land along streams, rivers and in watersheds.
Nowhere in these goals, recommendations, or elsewhere in the SCORP document do we see the mention of adding more buildings to any of our state parks, including Jekyll Island. In fact, just the opposite is true. However, without competently assessing the recreational needs or interests of the Georgia public, the Jekyll Island Authority Board appears to be headed toward wholesale redevelopment of the island and ‘rebranding’ of the park to attract a more affluent clientele. Inexplicably, the Authority hired the Bleakly Advisory Group, a firm that admits to having no background or expertise in public recreational land planning whatsoever to conduct its capacity study. What does this say about the motives of the Jekyll Island Authority?
The Jekyll Island Authority Board is entrusted with the stewardship of one of Georgia’s most irreplaceable treasures, a vacation destination with the power to educate and inspire generations to come. But the BAG report suggests once again that Jekyll Island represents no more than 5700 acres of underutilized coastal property that has failed to achieve its potential as an economic engine for the state of Georgia.
What a tragedy, and what a hoax.
October 16th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Thanks to Senator Chapman 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 also NOT 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. And based on the frightening Bleakley report, the LLC plan is likely to be extended further.
But even without Bleakley, 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 for the Bleakley report, it should be promptly put into a “round file.”
As Dr. Cordell, a UGA professor, recently pointed out, there are other ways to “enhance revenues and/or reduce costs….hotel and associated improvements, but no new residential or commercial development” on Jekyll Island. Indeed, development should NOT be as Dr. Cordell put it, “an assumed future for Jekyll Island.”
Thanks to Senator Chapman for raising these important issues. Let us save Jekyll Island from the grabby hands of greedy politicians and developers!
October 16th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
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 every action 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 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.
October 16th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Clearly the whole Linger Longer/JIA love affair stinks to high heavens. And, the BAC “analysis” is unworthy of the name.
Some facts:
- The BAC analysis started with the premise that a lot more development (read developer profits) would be needed to make JIA viable. They then backed into a scenario of massive increases in the number of residents. Their “analysis” didn’t begin to consider what the visitor attractions would be – just numbers of visitors times expenditure per visitor. There seems to be a “Build it and they will come” mentality to this whole scenario.
- The Linger Longer proposal (which they termed the “Final” proposal – think about that one), includes a 160 unit time share which would be sold to owners at a price of $16,500 for one week. That times 52 weeks times 160 equals $137 Million! What is the attraction of these time shares that would justify that price? Of course it’s the oceanfront location – prime Georgia owned property. What would Georgians get out of the deal? As Senator Chapman points out, $2.75 Million. Talk about a sweetheart deal! The probable cost of these units is $200K or so. That would yield a gross (very gross!) profit of over $100 Million.
- The “end game” appears to be letting Linger Longer be in the driver’s seat to privatizing the island. Georgia citizens be damned!
As they say in bridge, Let’s review the bidding.
October 16th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
“If we squander our fossil fuels, we threaten civilization; but if we squander the capital represented by living nature around us, we threaten life itself.”
___E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, 1973.
Last week I had the good fortune to be on Jekyll for a week, part of it during the Coastal
Birding and Nature Festival, and I took numerous walks and bike rides, enjoying the island’s varied ecosystems and spent a day on Sapelo as well.
Once I came back to the city, the juxtaposition of those pleasures with the news of continuing economic crisis, caused me to pull Schumacher’s little book off the shelf. I was amazed all over again at his prescience when writing over 30 years ago. Had America been operating on a paradigm based on “economics as if people mattered,” I do not believe we would be in quite the financial mess we are. Moreover, those of us who love places like Jekyll and see no need for anything more than a choice of a good campsite, a decent hotel room, or a reasonably priced house to rent would not be considered as some sort of strange species who just don’t “get it.”
While I do understand the necessity of Jekyll’s being self-supporting, I think the JIA partly keeps trying to market it to the wrong audience. People who need handy outlet malls and the sense of being in a ritzy place with all the “right” sort of people, will never find Jekyll as appealing as Hilton Head. Those who admire a beach only for its lovely blue waters and snowy sand aren’t going to give up the Gulf beaches.
It doesn’t matter how many condos are built are how cutesy a town center Linger Longer manages to design.
And D.R. Ronaldo is right in the first comment on Sen. Chapman’s remarks: the JIA mismanaged this re-development from the start; therefore, suspicion of their efforts will continue because of that. No one has ever explained to me WHY the capacity study and more than token participation by the real stakeholders, Georgia’s citizens, weren’t asked for first. I can only conclude that the JIA and the governor thought no one would raise any serious fuss. Wrong. What JIA and the politicians behind them have done is ensure the creation of a passionate and concerned group of Georgians who are always going to be watching and questioning. For the life of me, I can’t understand why only Senator Chapman and a few others like Rep. Debbie Buckner understand this and agree that Jekyll can be improved and sustained in reasonable ways. Let’s not forget that had it not been for the efforts of Georgians and legislators such as Chapman, the south end of the island would probably also now be up for grabs.
The real problem with the Bleakley report as well as with too many of the real estate/developer types on the JIA board is that they operate from a paradigm that is looking more dated than ever: large is good, more money is the only meaningful life goal, and economics is all that matters.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:41 am
The Jekyll Island Authority, Linger Longer Communities, and the Bleakly Advisory Group have ties that bind. Can the people of Georgia trust these people with the future of our only coastal state park? Is this study geared to revitalize Jekyll or is its main objective profit driven? This study is based on assumptions that they expect Jekyll to meet.
Like Senator Chapman said Jekyll deserves only the very best public land planners. Privatization is a bad idea and has no place in the management of public property. Hopefully there are people in our state government that can oversee the management of Jekyll while using the island’s and the people’s best interest as their guideline.
Thank you Senator Chapman for looking out for Jekyll and the people who truly love it. It is easy to see when someone “gets it”. We love Jekyll and we are not willing to compromise when it comes to giving control of its future to people who are not in it for the right reasons. We must stand firm and never give away what belongs to all of us.
October 17th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Comparing Jekyll Island to “other coastal resorts” is the dead giveaway. Jekyll is not a resort. People who want resort atmosphere and trimmings go to Hilton Head, etc. People who want a natural park environment, with ecological importance and outstanding educational opportunities for children and Elder Hostels and the like, and who want ease and simplicity in their family vacations go to Jekyll. And people who want/need an affordable vacation go to Jekyll. My family currently frequently visits Jekyll; $240/night would be prohibitive.
A real assessment by public land experts with environmental impact is needed, not just a review of the BAG study. A second opinion not motivated by profit and done by entities that do not carry the conflict of interest which of course those who selected the developer have.
Enough already.
October 17th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Chapman hits the nail right on the head with the points he makes in his article and I think the most central one is his criticism that JIA and BAG are treating JI as a “coastal resort” rather than a state park. Any planning based explicitly or implicitly on this premise is bound to be badly flawed. JI may need a bit more polish ; the last thing it needs is a transformation.
Surely it is time the replace the misguided membership of JIA and return to the kind of leadership and direction that has made JI the beautiful and unique haven that draws so many of us year after year.
October 17th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Can Senator Chapman find no other voices in the Republican Party to help him save Jekyll Island State Park from over development and privatization? Why are these politicians so quiet?
If I were a developer, as LLC is, I would just love having friends such as Governor Perdue, the JIA (appointed by the governor), Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, House Majority Leader Jerry Keene, Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore, and Representative Jack Kingston…to name a few.
But, they are no friends of Jekyll Island State Park and the people they should be representing. And we shouldn’t be fooled by the so called “downsizing” of their project. It’s still more than JI needs.
These are powerful people pushing for excessive beach development in a “State Park”, And they now have the Bleakly Group trying to give their project legitimacy.
Forbes Magazine recently carried an AP article “Ga. island getaway scraps upscale condos, hotel”. In that article there were comments made that should continue the concern for the future of Jekyll Island.
Jim Langford, project manager for Linger Longer said public criticism drove the changes. But, he also acknowledged the grim economy played a role.( What does this “developer” have planned on Jekyll Island when the economy turns around? )
Jones Hooks, director of Jekyll Island, said it wasn’t clear whether revenue would meet the goal after the redevelopment plan dropped the upscale amenities. He was quoted as saying “There may need to be additional amenities, but that would be a decision of the board. He also said “This is the plan. This is it. Who knows what the future holds?” ( What does that comment mean? ).”
Both of these individuals leave open the possibility of returning to more development on Jekyll Island.
The “board” Jones Hooks refers to, by the way, is the same JIA board that, former, JIA board member Ed Boshears has accused of corruption. And, he has requested a Grand Jury investigation. Those allegations of corruption should, immediately, stop this JIA board from making any decisions on the future of Jekyll Island, until a full investigation has been completed. The people of Georgia deserve to know the truth about what is going on within their state park. Why are we not hearing more about this?
Senator Chapman needs help from our legislators. Georgia needs legislation to protect Jekyll Island forever. Laws need to be written so that, never again, will the people of Georgia have to become so involved to protect Jekyll Island State Park. It’s their Georgia island getaway.
October 18th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Sen. Jeff Chapman’s comments about the Bleakly Advisory Group’s relationship with the Jekyll Island Authority leads to the conclusion that the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) is primarily concerned with Jekyll Island’s profitability. Profitability for whom seems to be up for debate.
Sen. Chapman’s comments also make it clear that there are some major gaps in stewardship of Jekyll Island. As a state park, Jekyll Island is in need of an advisory group focused on caring for the best interests of Georgia citizens. As a fragile barrier island, Jekyll Island is in need of an advisory group focused on protecting its natural resources and coastal marine environment.
JIA seems to be morphing into the Jekyll Island Authority Land Development Group. Perhaps its only focus should be on issues that affect the amount of money to be made by using Jekyll Island’s many resources. It is not only short-sighted but also environmentally dangerous, however, not to add advisory groups who would focus on the interests of (1) Georgia’s citizens and out-of-state tourists who provide that financial profit and (2) the preservation of the natural environment that allows the mainland protection provided by a barrier island.
Susan DeHoff, annual tourist
Shrewsbury, MA
October 18th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Thanks, Senator Jeff Chapman, for exposing the truth about the BAG report. I too sat through the hour long BAG power point presentation that tried to convince the audience that Jekyll Island is headed for financial ruin because of declining visitation. I quickly determined that neither their statistics nor their logic had merit. If Jekyll Island is headed for financial ruin, the situation can be blamed on the purposeful neglect of accommodations by its stewards, the JIA, who cannot see beyond the promise of profits from wholesale redevelopment at the expense of the serenity of the island and its ecological health. If JIA were truly sincere about maintaining the integrity of the island’s environment and enhancing visitor experience while at the same time boosting revenue, surely it can come up with some more creative ways to do so than to turn the island over to a corporation whose only interest is exorbitant profits from high end hotels which will exclude the ordinary people of Georgia. It seems to me Americans have seen enough of pandering to wealth-mongers in the past month.
Instead of relying on a report completed by the very company that helped select LL as JIA’s private partner, how about asking the people of Georgia what they want for their state park? How about soliciting ideas from the people of Georgia about what would enhance their visitor experience? Chances are, the answer will not be more high end hotels and less open beach front.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:02 am
KUDOS TO SENATOR CHAPMAN. HE HAS POINTED OUT HOW TRULY INFECTED THE JIA IS WITH REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT. THE MOST RECENT PLAN BY LLC IS ONLY AN ATTEMP TO DEFRAY OPPOSITION TO LARGER DEVELOPMENT ON JEKYLL. DON’T BELIEVE FOR A MINUTE THAT IT WILL STOP WITH THE SCALED BACK PLAN. AS THE OLD PROVERB SAYS ‘ONCE THE CAMEL GETS HIS NOSE IN THE TENT THE REST IS SURE TO QUICKLY FOLLOW’.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
JEKYLL BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE, NOT THE DEVELOPERS ! THE DEVELOPERS HAVE RAPED THE REST OF THE U.S. COAST FOR “FUN AND PROFIT”, ESPECIALLY PROFIT. IT’S TIME TO STAND UP AND SAVE WHAT LITTLE REMAINS OF “OUR” COAST. THE PEOPLE MUST STOP THIS TRAVESTY AND RECLAIM THE ISLAND BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE-AND I DO MEAN “ANY MEANS”.