No Spin Zone
Positive Change will post the most recent disinformation from the opposition concerning the Club's redevelopment plan, and respond with the FACTS here:
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"I don't want Longboat to change-I want it to stay the same."
September 18, 2009
Today, Longboat Key is already in a state of change. Tourism is shrinking, and businesses are closing left and right.
To "stay the same" at this point, Longboat Key needs to introduce growth. Without more visitors, especially during the slower summer months, Longboat Key will become something it has never been–a community in decline.
To "Keep Longboat Longboat" for generations to come, we need to update the island's amenities and maintain a viable business and resort community, because this is what attracts the affluent visitors, who in turn become our future real estate buyers.
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"Longboat Key is a retirement community."
September 11, 2009
Plymouth Harbour is an example of a retirement community.
Longboat is a thriving, diverse, luxurious resort community, offering world-class golf, tennis, boating, and spa amenities to residents and tourists–this community's future residents.
Longboat Key always has been, and always should be, so much more than a retirement community.
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The real truth behind the opposition to the Club's redevelopment
September 11, 2009
As you may know, a small group of the Club's immediate neighbors continues to be the only source of vocal opposition to the Club's redevelopment and Longboat's economic recovery.
This group's goal is to maintain the status quo of their luxury lifestyle "behind the gates" and to resist any change.
Here's the opposition's current strategy in a nutshell:
- They claim the scale of the Club's redevelopment is out of character with the GPD even though they live in some of the tallest and largest buildings behind the gates.
- They selectively "cherry pick" numbers from the Club's professional studies to confuse the issues and spread disinformation to the community.
- They have filed appeals with the Town of Longboat Key that have cost the Town and its taxpayers a substantial amount of resources and lost revenue.
This small group has clearly demonstrated that it does not represent the best interests of this community:
- None of these critics has any real expertise in traffic, city planning or managing a resort or private club.
- They have yet to provide one single, viable alternative to solving the island's current economic crisis.
- These opponents are mostly residents of multi-million dollar, high-rise condos who are against anything they mistakenly perceive will somehow disrupt the upscale lifestyle and magnificent views they enjoy.
According to comments posted on the Longboat Observer's web site, the opposition supports redevelopment on the mid and north Key–just not in their own backyard:
Longboat Observer
August 19, 2009The Longboat Key Hilton Beachfront Resort submitted an application to the Planning, Zoning and Building Department Monday, Aug. 17, requesting an additional 85 tourism units from the newly created pool of 250 tourism units available Key-wide.
"This is an application that merits strong consideration. It would help to support those businesses at mid to north Key that are in need of more customers. The zoning and code departures will need to be evaluated, but this is the type of expansion that the referendum was intended to encourage."
-Bob White, Islandside Property Owners Coalition
It is interesting to note that the opposition is not worried about any additional traffic on the north end of the key.
The opposition also supports the Club's "massive plan" being built next door to its headquarters in L'Ambiance–just not on the golf course blocking the view out of their kitchen and bathroom windows:
Longboat Observer
August 26, 2009"I don't believe there would be coalition opposition if the club submitted plans to increase the height of Inn on the Beach buildings."
- Bob White, Islandside Property Owners Coalition
Once again folks, traffic and density issues are merely a smoke screen to disguise the opposition's real concern: views!!