.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Here's a recent post by Inspiration Landing developer John Elkington:
In reality, the first mention of IL in local news was on December 11, 2015. We assume there were many meetings and machinations that preceded this announcement of almost six years ago.
What has been accomplished?
1. John Elkington was deeded the IL property by City of Sheffield.
2. City of Sheffield brought streets, power, and other infrastructure to IL on their own dime.
3. Elkington has developed one business, a music venue, which remained open a month.
4. The City of Sheffield now owes a huge bond payment in January.
Just to put this in perspective, Bugsy Siegel began to develop Las Vegas in 1947. By 1954, over eight million tourists were visiting annually. That, for the mathematically challenged, was seven years.
Well, at least Sheffield can brag about its school system. Is our sarcasm font working? More later...
My comment is only conjecture because I don't know the facts. I am curious if the Alabama gambling bill that failed in May 2021 had any influence on Inspiration Landing. Was any of the parties involved counting on that bill passing and being ready for some type of gambling on the riverfront? Again, I have no inside knowledge. I only see a coincidence here.
ReplyDeleteIf my conjecture has any validity, could the development have some kind of hope that a gambling bill hits Montgomery in 2022? I hope I am wrong in many ways because I think the politics of Montgomery, good or bad, has a chokehold on gambling in Alabama.
This blog may have already explored the potential connection and I may be off base. But in my humble opinion I believe betting on a gambling bill passing soon is a bad bet. If that is the catch Inspiration Landing might return to being a natural habitat for local wildlife.
That is a very insightful and intriguing comment. Truthfully, we have not heard that speculation. We have heard that property is being bought up in and around Waterloo in Lauderdale in anticipation of that. Also, the Waterloo scenario could be what's fueling the new interest in a College Street bridge/old ECM property.
DeleteLike you, we don't see a gambling bill passing anytime soon. We do wonder, with so much infrastructure now in place, how long Elkington can put off doing something...anything...to advance the project.
Sheffield residents are owed an explanation.
ReplyDelete