An invitation went out to the entire world from the City on ways to make the beach property pay for itself which began in September of last year. Three entities responded to the request. Meetings were held between respondents to the ITN throughout the late part of 2014 and the early part of 2015. This, of course, happening during the last election cycle. There were claims of secret meetings (untrue) and deals being cut to give away the city's beach (which can't happen). Finally, at the end of April, the ITN selection committee made its recommendations.
You can view that meeting here:
We still have a vacant second floor 'restaurant' space. Thought too valuable with such a commanding view, certainly high-end restaurateurs would be lining up for this irreproducible space along the Florida's east coast. Or, at least that's how the hyperbole went at the time. Guess what folks! That space is still empty. Design and construction issues related to the building have prevented consideration of that space for a serious tenant. The "breathtaking" view is being used for staff space to run the ballroom functions and for the storage of tables/chairs for the ballroom. It seems that no one thought of that during the planning process.
The site is also plagued with functional problems due to the insistence by the City Commission at the time. The mantra was that the city must save the building. In the end, the city didn't save the building, it just rebuilt a 96% new building in its place. This didn't take into account the location of the new parking lots to serve the building. And, no one really thought how the pool was going to fit into the whole equation and even closed it beginning in 2010, only to be opened again by the new Commission which was elected in 2011. The pool is a "drain" (get it?) on the financial operation of the beach but it serves some in our community who take the time to use it. The City is also bound by an agreement with the County that it must provide the same number of spaces to the general public, not just Lake Worth residents, as it did before the project. This leaves just 50 spaces, now split between the north and south of the beach property, for the more that 1,700 city resident permit holders. General accessibility to the Casino building and the loading/unloading requirements are another flaw of the current design.
So, you would think that there would be universal agreement that there are problems at the beach that require addressing. But how to do it if the city has no money to do it?
Finally, after almost a year of buzz about what is going to happen residents and the City Commission as a whole, will get a chance to hear what some think are solutions to the city's problem. Now I am hearing that people are saying that this isn't the right time to do it, during the summer, since no one is here. Well, I am here and the people that are complaining are here and there are many people here that want to hear, finally, what some of the options are. These are just options: the City has made no commitment to anyone, other than letting them present in a public way what they are proposing.
I am getting reports that a flier has gone out, issued by one of the respondents, inviting people to the meeting tonight so they can hear what is being proposed. A friend took a picture of what she received:
Anyway, the meeting is tonight at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Get there early to secure a seat.
![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yhHyCn84ZIQ/WezjlEL-0tI/AAAAAAAAPZ4/CzkhriK6zpEJJ3d9Je1495d49gIhnMlxACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
