By Jim Tortolano/Garden Grove Journal
The water park hotel planned for Harbor Boulevard took another step forward Tuesday, thanks to the Garden Grove City Council.
At a special meeting Tuesday afternoon,the council voted 5-0 in favor of a resolution asserting that an earlier agreement with Garden Grove MXD, Inc. to build the 600-room Great Wolf resort on a 12-acre site just north of Garden Grove Boulevard was an “enforceable obligation” in the post-redevelopment era.
If finally approved by the state Department of Finance, the project would mean $47 million is to be paid to the developer from the trust fund of money that went into the redevelopment fund before the state ended such agencies.
Only one member of the public spoke at the hearing held on the matter. Josh McIntosh, a candidate for city council, said “I don’t think that the people of Garden Grove should have to pay $47 million for a project they didn’t ask for.”
According to city officials, the development — which would include a parking structure, restaurants and other space — will eventually send the city $8 million annually in new tax revenue, compared to the annual cost of about $4 million in paying off the bonds issued to finance it all. The bond repayment is expected to last about 20 years.
The money wouldn’t be paid all at once to the developer. One $5 million chunk would be for the parking structure, the other $42 million paid upon completion of the project.
The water park hotel is envisioned by city leaders as a key component in the “International West” concept for Harbor Boulevard. Garden Grove is seeking to expand its hotel and entertainment district south from Chapman Avenue to create a booming tourist Mecca similar to a busy throughfare in Orlando, Florida.
It’s a shame that we have to pay for developers to build in our city. You would think that they would have to pay for the construction themselves. You’d think our council would negotiate a better deal for us. Has anyone else gotten a free p…lot of valuable land and a hotel built on it? Have any other businesses in GG experienced such favoratism and help? All of the businesses I know of have their hands tied with red tape, regulations and broken promises of getting support from the city. I hope I can help to change this nightmare and stop this madness. Please vote responsibly in November.