Aurora Voters should determine Gaylord's fate
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AURORA VOTERS SHOULD DETERMINE GAYLORD’S FATE.
Let the people decide: voters like that idea right now. According to the Denver
Post, a clandestine group that believes public money should not fund private sector
ventures is polling Aurora likely voters to determine the level of support for The
Gaylord Project:
‘The effort is fueling speculation that the group will attempt a ballot measure
seeking to force Aurora to rescind the $300 million incentive package it agreed
to give Nashville, Tenn.-based Gaylord Entertainment Co. to build a 1,500-room,
$824 million hotel and conference center.’ Denver Post, October 18
With public outcry against Solyndra and other private ventures, that have been propped
up by government money, who supports public/private ventures anymore? Of course
we have both Aurora mayoral candidates Ryan Frazier and Steve Hogan on record as
being supporters of Gaylord, but few advocates of government subsidizing private
business remain.
My entrepreneurial brain wonders why if Gaylord is such a good project, why haven’t
private sector businesses jumped on the opportunity to invest in this project? Why
does such a promising and grand opportunity require a public subsidy? The answer
is that Gaylord doesn’t require a public subsidy. Aurora’s economy will return
to health when the city government realizes that regulations and fees are impediments
to growth of local businesses. If I was our sitting mayor, the subsidizing of Gaylord
would never be up for discussion. A $300 million tax subsidy to improve the city
economy would have been directed toward Aurora business. That’s what I would have
done.
At this juncture, I’ll suggest that the few advocates of the Gaylord public/private
partnership
