Transcript
Kit Carson Park 2013
Horizon Holdings is a Christian-based, for-profit, multi-faceted corporation
David Busch, Founder & CEO Greg Yost, New Business Development
WHAT ARE THE PROFITS?
Escondido puts up $10 million--80% of the Investment--gets back 5% of the Gross Profits.
Year 1 Horizon $1,577,055 City $233,084
Year 2 Horizon $1,787,249 City $247,494
Year 3 Horizon $2,095,615 City $269,369
Give away or lease 9 acres to Private Developer causing destruction of
wetlands and habitats
• Kit Carson Park provides public spaces and potential mitigation for wetlands destruction.
• City staff notes that giving away land “could limit future development opportunities.”
• Morasco: “No property for a water park if we’re using that for mitigation offsets.”
Privatize city programs
• The Mayor decides the City will save money by privatizing community programs, making those recreation programs only available to those who can pay the price set by Horizon.
Greg Yost, New development person for
Horizon, wrote an article for World Water Park
magazine. on dealing with opposition titled
Calming the Qualms
He first lays out the concerns:
Potential water park neighbors fear… “unsightly slide towers, screaming children, blaring music, less open space, increased traffic congestion, the potential for crime or the lowering of property values.”
And here’s his advice on how to deal with folks like us:
1. Avoid Large Neighborhood Meetings.
•They can introduce opponents to one another
•Allow them to hear and adopt each other’s agendas.
2. Appeal to Neighbors’ positive sides…
•Offer an exclusive, annual neighborhood party at your park or
•A thematic feature that embraces the local area’s culture.
3. Offer…to reposition large attractions away from adjoining homes…you’ll be seen as making major concessions.
Developer David Busch on tall towers:
Busch said he empathized with concerns about
sight lines being affected by the park’s tall
structures. He said those structures would be
built as far away from homes as possible.
Developer David Busch on noise:
“It would only be giggling and the occasional
screaming of the kids,” he said. The speakers
of the park’s public address system would be
pointed low and away from nearby houses.
Developer David Busch on traffic:
“Unlike a football game or church, where all
the traffic is arriving at the same time, the
traffic would arrive over a four-hour period,”
Busch said. “It’s a nice, even flow, not a huge
onslaught at any one time.”
What will the final proposal be?
• Union Tribune: “The revised proposal will also focus on the economic benefits of the park, including additional hotel taxes and a sales tax boost from concessions, and more customers at local restaurants and gas stations. “
• FACT: Determining economic benefits to the City is a guessing game. We know Horizon’s goal is to make sure people spend their money in the Park so it will be as profitable as possible.
What would Horizon like?
Busch/Yost: “We would like to encourage a partnership in the building of a new Adventure park with aquatic features, where both Horizon and the City invest into this new indoor and outdoor educational/recreational ropes, zip lines, adventure trails and other health related amenities.”
FACT: Right now, Kit Carson Park offers opens spaces for for a myriad of health related activities—walking, running, biking, playing ball or disc golf, sitting and enjoying the quiet. And it’s all FREE.
The Adventure Park will cost at least $15 per person per visit.
Save Kit Carson Park
• This Adventure park will hurt the Quality of Life for everyone who visits the park.
• It will hurt the Quality of Life for everyone who lives near the park—more traffic, parking problems, noise and visual blight.
• If this land is given away or leased, we cannot use it to mitigate future development, we may not be able to get it back easily and it will not be available for future generations to enjoy free of charge.
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