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Anybody have a ‘for rent’ sign?

Published 12:00am Thursday, April 28, 2011

Once again this week, some of the elected representatives in Natchez have placed a bet on arguably the city’s best real estate.

In a 4-2 vote Tuesday, Natchez aldermen granted another extension to the would-be casino developers who keep promising to build at the foot of Roth Hill on city-owned riverfront property.

Developers promised to pay the city $50,000 for a three-month extension, with an option for a second three-month extension.

We’ve long expressed our opinion on this matter and continue to believe that the city is holding on to what certainly seems like a long shot, at best. It’s been four years since the city originally announced a tentative agreement with the developers.

At last check, developers still had not submitted all of their paperwork to the Mississippi Gaming Commission, and apparently still lack the funding to get the plans off the drawing board and into the ground.

Funding has become difficult for many development projects in recent years. However, the city’s insistence that the current crop of developers is the best and only option for Roth Hill’s future is misguided.

Sure, a line of developers is not standing at Roth Hill with wallets in hand, waiting to invest. But that could be because no one believes the site is available.

Roth Hill has been “engaged” for four years now. It’s time for a wedding ring, or a new suitor should be found.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the city committed to invest the $100,000 the developers will pay into something fruitful?

Imagine how many suitors might come if the city took a fraction of the funds and marketed the site as “available” again.

We’d be willing to bet something good would come out of it. Something more than the waiting game Natchez has played for four long years.

  • Anonymous

    It appears ND is for developing Roth Hill for revenue sources rather than green space recommended in recent article by others. Since we don’t have the money to mow our existing grass on top of the hill, it would seem more appropriate to create a revenue source to help pay for that work rather than adding to the workload of the grass cutters without funding. Good idea about committing some of the money to market the site to others, you never know what a little advertising may bring! While Vidalia has developed their waterfront quite differently, their space to do so overshadows the available space at Roth Hill so let’s not be overly optimistic that we could have an adequate park in that area more than similar space of the current river view just north of the IOC. Additionally, the hydroelectric income to Vidalia allows them more options for funding these type projects, including recreation complexes. Perhaps ND can research and publish just how much income Vidalia receives from hydroelectric and how that will grow significantly in the near future when the plant pays out – I think you will be surprised.

  • http://www.CTKellyisnotacommonist.com Charles Thomas Kelly

    How much does Vidalia get off the hydro plant?

  • Anonymous

    Millions.

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