Bimini East redevelopment giveaway
To the editor:
The mayor, the Cape Coral City Council and the city manager are all NOT looking out for the interests of the citizens of Cape Coral when it comes to the Bimini East Redevelopment Project. They are giving away the store to a developer at a fraction of the cost.
First, the city spent $45 million buying 22 acres of land adjacent to Four Freedoms Park at the southwest corner of Cape Coral Parkway and Coronado Parkway in the hope of getting a developer to redevelop this land. Now according to the front-page Breeze article of July 31, the city will acquire four additional properties for the project for $11 million. Finally, the city will give away Four Freedoms Park to the developer as part of this overall 33-acre project.
The article states that the developer will buy these properties as part of the total land deal for $26.3 million! The developer doesn’t care as much about the original 22 acres, only the Four Freedoms Park acreage because it gives direct sail boat access to the Caloosahatchee River. This is a gold mine for the developer.
The city needs to explain to its citizens why they would spend $45 million plus $11 million plus give away Four Freedoms Park and accept $26.3 million in return. Where is the return on investment for the city? There needs to be a public hearing on this project before it is too late.
The city says Four Freedoms Park has to remain a park, but that will be in name only. It will actually turn into the front lawn of the new residents and boaters at the new marina.
Something to take into account for the primary in August and the general election in November.
Ken Kendrick
Cape Coral