Senecas acquire splash park

[Dr Funky]

Now Im not sure whether this is a positive or a negative because they will be tearing it down.

I personally think its a negative because I loved that water park and I went any chance I could and I always had a blast.

Others look at it as a positive because it was closed for like 17 years out of the 20 years its existed and it became another eye sore that should have been demolished a long time ago.

But then they reopened it and I went in summer of 05 and had a great summer.

http://www.niagara-gazette.com/siteSearch/apstorysection/local_story_355223914.html

Senecas acquire splash park

THE STORY: Empire State Development Corp. acquired an 18-acre splash park near John B. Daly Boulevard through eminent domain for the Seneca Nation of Indians to expand its casino campus.

The Senecas are expected to tear down the site as part of a plan to expand the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel to John B. Daly Boulevard.

The park land is included in a roughly 50-acre footprint promised to the Seneca Nation in a 2002 gaming compact with New York State.

The Seneca Gaming Corp. made an advance payment of $18 million for the property under the eminent domain process.

In July, the former owners of the park, Fallsite and Fallsview, limited liability corporations controlled by Niagara Falls Redevelopment and attorney John Bartolomei, filed notices advising the state they plan to seek $40 million for the land and $35 million for the trade fixtures in the park, according to a report filed by the Seneca Gaming Corporation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under the eminent domain procedures, state judges will determine the value of the property.

n WHAT’S NEXT: n Seneca Gaming Corp. Chairman Barry Snyder Sr. said Thursday that the Gaming Corp. and the Seneca Nation are continuing to develop a master plan the future of the Seneca Niagara Casino.

The plan could call for additional gaming or hotel space.

“We are not done investing and growing in Niagara Falls,” Snyder told a group of city and state leaders gathered Thursday at the Conference Center Niagara Falls. “Over the next few years, as we complete our development plans, we anticipate to employ upwards of 5,000 people at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel as we strive to create one of the most successful casino operations in the country.”

An early master plan submitted to the state called for two additional hotels that would front John B. Daly Boulevard. Snyder said those plans are currently under review.

n WHY IT MADE THE LIST: After acquiring the splash park, the Seneca Nation owned four-fifths of roughly 50 acres of downtown property pledged by Gov. George Pataki in the 2002 gaming compact. According to a recently released Seneca Gaming Corp. annual report, the Senecas now control all but four acres within the footprint.

The park’s 20-year history has been marked by a series of lawsuits between the city of Niagara Falls and the private partnership that built the park.

The park has also been closely intertwined with NFR’s plans to develop 142 acres across the street from the Seneca’s footprint.

[Dr Funky]

So what do you think?

[300miles]

IMO, using Eminent Domain to take private land and give it to a "nation" so they can build tax-free, competition-busting businesses is a serious abuse of the system.

[Dr Funky]

IMO, using Eminent Domain to take private land and give it to a "nation" so they can build tax-free, competition-busting businesses is a serious abuse of the system.


What would your argument be against the fact that they built us a huge hotel and have been able to get things done in 3-4 years that havent been able to get done in 40?



:D

[300miles]

What would your argument be against the fact that they built us a huge hotel and have been able to get things done in 3-4 years that havent been able to get done in 40?
They didn't build us anything. They built themselves a hotel that will be difficult for other hotels to compete with due to it's tax-free and smoking-friendly status. When they open a bunch of smoking-friendly bars it will do similar damage to non-indian bars and restaurants.

NF has sold it's soul for a few attractions. Luckily the Buffalo casino has more restrictions on it's development so it won't take over the city like in NF.

There are some benefits... hopefully NF is smart enough to use them wisely... but then again, NF politicians aren't the brightest of the bunch! Just look at how they want to waste the Greenway funds.

[Micheal Joseph]

They didn't build us anything. They built themselves a hotel that will be difficult for other hotels to compete with due to it's tax-free and smoking-friendly status.

1. Obvously not, as it has been mentioned that there will be a new high scale hotel to be built in NF.
2. What competiton was there for the Water ParK?? - Nothing, so why not build something else on that property and put people to work? Jobs means money to be sptent & employment taxes.

It seems that the only new business coming into NF in the past 20 years, has been because the Senewca's wanted to do business in NF.


Micheal

[therising]

The clowns that own the park are the biggest schemers of all.

They reopened it last year, knowing full well that this would happen. They claim the land is worth $40 million (about $2.2 mill per acre) and the fixtures 35 Million.

They must've found some really good weed in those Nabisco buildings. Or else, they've been eating paint chips. :)

[Linda_D]

I don't like the idea of using eminent domain to give property over to a third party. However, the owners weren't exactly innocent in this, either. They acquired the waterpark and sat on the property for years. Then, to get a lot more money than it's worth, they opened it up for one season and claim it's a "business"!

A plague on both their houses.

I think that if somebody was smart, they'd build a hotel in downtown NF with a year-round, indoor water park like they have across the river.

[Dr Funky]

They must've found some really good weed in those Nabisco buildings. Or else, they've been eating paint chips. :)


ROFLMAO!!

I think that if somebody was smart, they'd build a hotel in downtown NF with a year-round, indoor water park like they have across the river.


People had that idea 20 years ago when they built it, but hey this is the Falls....

[BorderBob]

ROFLMAO!!




People had that idea 20 years ago when they built it, but hey this is the Falls....

Not all of it, but the wave pool at least was supposed to be enclosed as I recall. I was kinda surprised when it wasn't.

But as you said, this is Niagara Falls. Why do it at all if you cannot do it badly!

b.b.