Developer: No Casino At Bahia Mar
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The developer who wants to rebuild the landmark Bahia Mar on Fort Lauderdale beach has pledged not to turn it into a casino.
Peter Henn wrote an e-mail to civic activist Art Seitz and other civic leaders today with that promise.
My question: Now that the project is stalled, what is Henn’s assurance really worth?
This week an e-mail from lawyer Rochelle Golub stopped Henn’s project dead in the water.
Golub’s letter may have raised some good points. But where was she for the past several years? Why wait until the last-minute to fire her broadside?
I can answer my first question: Golub was a member of the city Planning & Zoning Board. And she had plenty of time to bring all these matters up previously!
Knowing city politics, this delaying tactics smells to me like somebody behind the scenes is trying to blow up the deal. Perhaps someone – there are a lot of possible suspects — wants to clear the way for another developer to build on the property.
Hmmmmm.
From: “Henn, Peter”
Date: June 10, 2011 4:51:43 AM EDT
To: Art Seitz
Subject: NO Casino at Bahia MarArt, I usually do not respond to your emails. I think this may only be the second time that I did. I hope there is no need for a third time.
Bottom-line: There will be NO CASINO at Bahia Mar.
Although we own and operate casinos in other parts of the world, we have been very clear throughout the entire Bahia Mar redevelopment process that we have no plans to develop a casino or sell our leasehold interest to another casino operator.
The draft Amended Lease and New Lease that the City Attorney’s Office and I have been working on contains a specific prohibition against casinos (although the Current Lease addresses the division of casino revenues between the City and Lessee, although current law does not permit such a casino).
I am more than willing to add to PUD Condition of Approval #27 (the Western Development Deed Restriction) a specific prohibition against casinos at Bahia Mar.
Again, there will be NO CASINO at Bahia Mar. Thx. Peter
Peter J. Henn, Esq.
BRE/Bahia Mar Development, LLC
561-558-3884
June 10th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Like sands in the hour glass so are the days of our lives. Buddy you are right on the money here. I to smell a rat, so to speak. Ok Mr.seitz no casino gambling(at this site). Now you have Mr.henn himself stressing this to you.there will be no casino. Trust me Art if not here, fine but I repeat its coming. And now all of a sudden this Rochelle Golub, where have you been for 6yrs??? Also interesting to point out Comm. Charlotte Rodstrom VOTED for this project way back when when this first started, the orginal plans, way before Mr.Henn made his modifications. Yes she did approve the planns. . Charlotte & Bruce and others you do REAlIZE that if you throw this whole deal under the bus, the CITY, not you and the BEACH ACTIVIST(Seitz, Fertig, so many others) but the CITY would be SUED fir millions of dollars. Please CITY Att, HArry Strewart please council your COmmission(Rodstrom, Roberts) before they cash us all out. Isn’t it funny MR.Seitz and others its ok for you to live on the beach, in these ritzy-titsy neighborhoods, but NO ONE else huh?. I mean this is going to create jobs, revenue for the City Etc. What I see is these “who’s who of whoville” not getting their own way so screw everyone else. I mean Mr.Henn has bent over backwards for all of your concerns. Enough is enough. Again where have you select few been for 6 yrs???
June 10th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
A 100 year lease is ridiculous. This is another Fort Lauderdale give-away to a developer.
June 10th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
@Gerald T – If you were going to invest $250 million in a redevelopment, how much time would you want on the lease? The fact is that the shorter the lease, the less money a developer will be willing to put into the project.
June 10th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
The anatomy of a shakedown…
The Players:
Rochelle : Contributor to the Barbara Stern Campaign
Judy Stern is running the reelection campaign of Bruce Roberts. Judy got Rodstrom to appoint Rochelle to P&Z. Stern and Rochelle sat next to each other at the first reading of the Bahia Mar projject two weeks ago. Now Rochelle who voted for Bahia Mar now sends and email to Roberts to which caused a delay and possibly hurt the chances of the Bahia Mar project. Today, activist Mary Graham sent out an email to Mr. Wymann and members the Commission supporting Rochelle to run against Roberts.
So what does this all mean…
Stern directly or indirectly will reach out to Mr. Henn and offer “assistance” (since she is not a lobbyist in Fort Lauderdale) in making sure the candidate whose campaign she is running, Roberts, stays in line and vote for Bahia Mar. In the meantime she will tell Roberts she can protect him from Rochelle running against him if he just does what she tells him. Rochelle backs off and Bruce votes for Bahia Mar and Stern gets paid.
You guys didnt think this type of stuff was limited to Tamarac did you?
June 11th, 2011 at 7:24 am
Henn Zoning Advisors-Peter Henn (google confirmed) and Courtney Crush his attorney on Bahia Mar gave contributions to Judy Stern’s daughters state house campaign, hmmm wonder why?
Makes one wonder how many others with matters before the City felt the need to be so generous to Judy Stern’s daughters campaign…
June 11th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Buddy, i need to make a correction. It was Rochelle Golub who was supportive of the Bahia Mar(not Comm.Charlotte Rodstrom-got the two views mix-uped)Rochelle was for this when she was on the P/Z bd.Ms.Golub approved the site plans before the modifications. Again why the change of mind Rochelle? Another correction to “Follow the money”. Golub was appointed by former Comm.Christine Teal, and carried over by Bruce Roberts. I hope this clears things up. And all this concern over Art Seitz. So evidently he does not want casino gambling, ok so what and I’m for it. Why should Art Seitz get special treatment? Enough…
June 11th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Maybe I’m too naive, but isn’t casino gambling against the law? Yet I’m hearing over and over again about Casino operators buying up prime land for development (the Miami Herald building for example). Is there something in the wind I’m not aware of?
FROM BUDDY:
It is against the law…for now.
Developers are essentially gamblers. Some are making deals, betting that casinos will be made legal in the future.
My bet is that casinos will be made legal.