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Gulf State Park Resort alive in the legislature
May 6, 2009
From the article “Gulf State Park resort compromise advances” by George Altman in the May 6 edition of the Press-Register:
Lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to a compromise that brings a planned beachfront resort in Gulf Shores one step closer to approval. The bill, passed by the House Government Operations Committee, would allow one parcel of state land to be used for the luxury hotel, but it would place restrictions on the development of other state beach land. Supporters said the bill strikes a balance between protecting state land and generating revenue for state coffers. Several powerful state political figures negotiated the compromise, including the heads of the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama State Employees Association, as well as representatives from the state Department of Revenue and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, lawmakers said. "It's now my understanding that the substitute (bill) has been agreed upon," said Sen. Larry Dixon, a Montgomery Republican sponsoring the bill. "Really, we would be able to enlarge on protecting the beach, under the substitute." State-owned beach land in Gulf Shores, south of Ala. 182, could not be leased long-term or sold without legislative approval. The bill makes an exception for the site of the former Gulf State Park Lodge, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and never rebuilt.
Under Dixon's bill, the land could be leased with the following conditions: construction of the new hotel and convention center must be competitively bid, state employees must operate the convention center,the land lease must be for between 30 and 70 years, and local communities- including Baldwin County, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley - must contribute to maintenance costs of the convention center. The bill now goes to the full House for consideration. Dixon's bill has passed the Senate, but because the House made changes, both the Senate and Riley must approve the bill in coming weeks for it to become law.
For the complete article see http://www.al.com/news/press-register/metro.ssf?/base/news/1241601334205810.xml&coll=3
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