re Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort project - Special City of Hollywood CRA/City Comm. meeting re Margaritaville at 5 pm on Wednesday; re Hollywood's South Park Road Redevelopment (HIAD)

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re Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort project - Special City of Hollywood CRA/City Comm. meeting re Margaritaville at 5 pm on Wednesday; re Hollywood's South Park Road Redevelopment (HIAD)

There is a Special City of Hollywood CRA/City Commission joint meeting re Margaritaville at Hollywood City Hall on Wednesday on May 29th at 5 p.m.

http://agenda.hollywoodfl.org/cache/00001/234/AGEN%2005-29-13%20Joint%20Special.pdf

Last week's community meeting was another masterful production by Hollywood City Manager  Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark, with more than enough info to fill everyone in on what's what and what's been changed, with a well-produced Power Point presentation that answered and anticipated every conceivable question or concern with facts, not idle speculation or theories.

The City Manager's Office had 4 separate stacks of document handouts in the lobby for the public to grab on their way in, including a copy of new agreement; in total, weighing about 20 oz or so.

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/index.aspx?nid=650

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/documentcenter/view/2587

There almost might've been too much information to process, something that you could never say was the case in Hallandale Beach. 

Plus, they had a stash of three separate kinds of cookies in the lobby with a TV monitor set up for any possible overflow. Now that's planning.

Well, the cookies were grabbed and eaten, but the TV wasn't needed, as there were probably about 90 people in total inside, with a few empty seats near most of the usual familiar faces.

All but one current Hollywood City Commissioner was present in the chambers along with former Commissioners Fran Russo and Beam Furr.

From my perspective, someone who in the past had been dis-satisfied with various aspects of both Margaritaville's plan as well as the long-ago rejected Hard Rock proposal, it may've been the best single day thus far for the Margaritaville project and Lojeta developer Lon Tabatchnick.

Hollywood CRA Director Jorge Camejo, City Attorney Jeff Sheffel, Planning Dept. head 

Jaye Epstein and the city's hospitality consultant all spoke from dais when CSR wasn't connecting-the-dots down near the lectern with a mixture of both precision and humor.

It was clearly Lon Tabatchnick's best day at Hollywood City Hall in a long time, as he was up on the dais with the others, in a polo shirt instead of a suit, and from where I sat, with my video-camera rolling, he seemed much more relaxed and focused than in the past, and not nearly so anxious as he has sometimes appeared to be, given the investment of time, energy and money he's made.

Perhaps it was a turning point.

Coincidentally, there was an interesting photo-filled article in The Daily Mail today on Jimmy Buffet and the Margaritaville empire he and his team have created:

The Daily Mail
Welcome to Margaritaville: How Jimmy Buffett's four-minute song about being drunk and lazy became the most lucrative song in the world and spawned $100MILLION empire 
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 00:44 EST, 27 May 2013 
UPDATED: 00:47 EST, 27 May 2013
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2331498/Welcome-Margaritaville-How-Jimmy-Buffetts-minute-song-drunk-lazy-lucrative-song-world-spawned-100MILLION-empire.html

Channel 10, Miami
Commission to vote on revised Margaritaville agreement 
New agreement adds Starwood Capital to the project  
Published On: May 28 2013 12:54:25 PM EDT
http://www.local10.com/news/commission-to-vote-on-revised-margaritaville-agreement/-/1717324/20327872/-/2pjlhpz/-/index.html

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*Separate issue: 

As I've said previously said to people around town, the place where the City of Hallandale Beach actually thinks it'll be charging its alternative energy vehicles for the foreseeable future is a facility in Hollywood located on Park Road & Pembroke Road -across the street from the Coca-Cola bottling plant and the Orangebrook Golf & Country Club- that'll be gone as soon as Hollywood can get rid of it, the South Park Road Redevelopment (HIAD)

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So what's HB's back-up plan for when this facility disappears?

Good question.

In none of the HB City Commission meetings that I've personally attended or watched online in the past year or so on the subject of the city purchasing alternative energy vehicles, have I once heard former City Manager Mark A. Antonio and current CM  Renee Miller -or any of her three highly-paid assistants- say one word about the future reality of that Park Road site that HB intends on using to refuel its new vehicles.

Each time I hear it brought up I honestly wonder if the highly-paid help at HB City Hall even knows.
And each time, I'm convinced they don't, because they speak in such smug and oblivious tones. 

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/quick_topics/publications/wc/brownfields/resolutions/BF061102000_RES.pdf

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/DocumentCenter/View/1962

Tell me, when have you ever seen anything like this level of detail in HB for constructive suggestions for all the various empty lots and city/CRA-owned parcels in HB?

I mentioned this meeting last year on th blog but was unable to attend it:

http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/important-meeting-tonight-at-hollywood.html

The Department of Community and Economic Development is holding a public meeting regarding the South Park Road Redevelopment Site, formerly the Hollywood Incinerator Ash Dump, on Monday, October 22, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, Room 219.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for has announced funding availability to carry out cleanup activities at a specific brownfield sites. The City of Hollywood is interested in applying for a grant for the purposes of cleaning up environmental concerns on the South Park Road site.
This public meeting is the first step in moving forward with the potential redevelopment of this site and discussions will include funding availability and process and community support of grant efforts to address existing environmental concerns. Community participation is essential in City projects and your feedback during this public meeting is encouraged.
All interested groups or individuals are invited to attend this public meeting. If you are interested in providing feedback and are unable to attend, you may send your comments via e-mail to dbiederman@hollywoodfl.org. For additional information about this meeting contact the Department of Community and Economic Development at 954.921.327

Important public forum on the proposed Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort is scheduled for Tuesday Sept. 4th at 6 p.m. Chief among topics will be whether the Hollywood CRA should increase their investment in the Lon Tabatchnick project on Johnson Street and the Broadwalk from $10 million to $23 million

Important public forum on the proposed Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort is scheduled for Tuesday Sept. 4th at 6 p.m. Chief among topics will be whether the Hollywood CRA should increase their investment in the Lon Tabatchnick project on Johnson Street and the Broadwalk from $10 million to $23 million

I received the communication below from the City of Hollywood this morning about an important subject that I've written about dozens of times on this blog the past few years, sometimes with frustration, sometimes with pleasant surprise. 

In an election year, with 5 of the 7 incumbents in Hollywood running for re-election in November, you simply can't underestimate how important this meeting may prove to be to the future of the city and the beach, depending upon not only the turn-out, but the tenor and direction of the debate as well.

Don't kid yourself -what Hollywood's elected officials are proposing is nothing less than doubling-down on their original bet with CRA dollars, from $10 million to $23 million.
Is this a wise and reasonable decision based on the facts on the ground, or is it going past the point of what is prudent under the current circumstances?

If you live anywhere in the area, you owe it to yourself to come see the presentation in-person and get the facts undiluted, and then hear Hollywood taxpayers ask questions and make the case for or against doing this, one day before the Hollywood City Commission meets as the CRA and votes on the matter at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

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Public Forum on Proposed Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort

A public forum to review proposed changes to the development agreement and ground lease

between the City of Hollywood, Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and

Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, LLC is scheduled for Tuesday, September 4, 2012

at 6:00 p.m., Hollywood City Hall, Room 219, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard. 

This meeting comes in advance of a special joint meeting of the Commission and CRA Board

set for September 5, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in which the Commission will consider an amendment

to the existing agreement that updates the timeline for the construction of the project, details

new financing plans and provides additional revenues to the city that have been

negotiated with the developer. The Commission, in its role as the CRA board, will also

consider a new compensated funding agreement that increases the CRA's investment in the

project.  

All interested residents are invited to attend.

For more information and history on the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort project, see http://www.hollywoodfl.org/index.aspx?NID=650

3D animated depiction of the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort is at
http://www.hollywoodfl.org/mediacenter.aspx?VID=9

Tuesday morning's meeting in Hollywood on the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort Project on Johnson Street & The Broadwalk

WPLG-TV/Channel 10 (Miami, FL) reporter Roger Lohse talks to Hollywood developer Lon Tabatchnick and Weston businessman Joseph Sloboda about the practical effects of the U.S. government's EB-5 Visa program, and how it allows American business projects to get critical financial backing from foreign investors. Tabatchnick credits this program for allowing his proposal for the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort on Hollywood Beach to move forward.

2011. http://youtu.be/wgRjfU-LjHI

I feel the need to publicly preface this news about a Tuesday morning meeting regarding the Margaritaville Resort/Johnson Street CRA project on Hollywood Beach with a few words about something that dozens of my friends and I are in complete agreement on, having seen this sort of episode be repeated FAR TOO MANY TIMES this past year with the City of Hollywood's announcement email list, which we are all on.

Think of it as constructive criticism.

Like me, my friends in SE Broward are NOT real crazy about receiving meeting announcements that are sent out -for the first time- 18 hours before the meeting starts.

It's just like the Miami Herald's own well-known penchant for writing about morning government meetings taking place that day in THAT morning's Herald, instead of days in advance, if not the day before.

I won't be able to attend this meeting, otherwise, I'd film it and place some of the more interesting excerpts here on the blog and on my YouTube Channel, which, I hasten to add, will see a huge change in focus in the coming new year.

Positive tangible changes.

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City of Hollywood, Florida

Office of the City Manager

REVISED

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 5, 2011

Contact: Raelin Storey

Director Public Affairs & Marketing

Phone: 954. 921.3098

954.812.0975 (cell)

Fax: 954.921.3314

E-mail: rstorey@hollywoodfl.org

Upcoming Meeting on Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort Project

December 6 at 10 a.m.

HOLLYWOOD, FL - On Tuesday, December 6 at 10 a.m. members of the Hollywood Beach Community Development District 1 will meet at Garfield Community Center, 300 Connecticut Street (2nd floor of City Parking Garage). In addition to other business items, the members will review the proposed assessment for the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort development needed to fund the public parking component.

(This assessment will not apply to other properties in or near the redevelopment site.)

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Wednesday, December 14 update by Lon Tabatchnick to the City Commission will be held at a later date to be determined.

For more information, contact the Office of the City Manager at 954.921.3201.

For media inquiries, please contact Raelin Storey, Public Affairs Director at 954.921.3098.

# # #

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Official City of Hollywood website for the Johnson Street RFP/Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort Project:

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/html/johnsonstbeachrfp.htm

http://youtu.be/JdgkCkp0Wf0

http://www.youtube.com/user/josephsloboda

"Come Monday, it'll be alright..." - Australia's TEN News Thursday network newscast on Jimmy Bufett's fall in Sydney and reactions of fans

Gabrielle Boyle of TEN News on Jimmy Buffett's concert accident in Sydney and interviews eyewitnesses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu5n-dMmXvM

Above, from Thursday network newscast. Below, from Wednesday's first reports of the incident.

SKY News Australia

Story at: http://video.theaustralian.com.au/1767604031/Buffett-injured-after-concert-fall



Jimmy Buffett - Come Monday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0---Q97pG4

Personally, I'm not a Jimmy Buffett fan, and I even wasn't in favor of the Margaritaville Resort being selected over Planet Hollywood for Hollywood Beach, where I was for a few hours this afternoon, but there's no denying that this song is one of the most iconic songs of the past 50 years, in part because EVERYONE thinks they can sing this song well.

And at the 2:15 mark, the combination of lyrics and instruments become genius.

See also: http://www.youtube.com/user/ten

Next step in Hollywood Beach's Margaritaville Resort project on Johnson Street is Special Mtg. of Technical Advisory Board on Monday at 10 a.m.

I received an e-mail reminder about this important meeting on Monday about Hollywood Beach's Margaritaville Resort project on Johnson Street from the City of Hollywood a few days ago, and had meant to post this earlier so those of you who are late to this issue can make arrangement to see and hear what's what for yourself.
That includes 95% of the South Florida news media, but who's counting?


A larger version of the photo I snapped at one of the Hollywood City Commission meetings of the projected look of the complex, above, is here:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2VkaJkg0DxNcGGZF3catOo2bqiGk53Upu-gy8K2qnbCw9hyodtQrkxs3okxfWrpRaTHpULhoWRMbFjZdeUkrfExd63bFDwCqye7hrfxHam7CJ5fIQzRSJKKusoaU_rIwEYn2WPY_BWRM/s1600/032.JPG


That photo accompanied my April 7, 2010 post: Margaritaville unanimous choice of Hollywood City Commission for Johnson Street project over Planet Hollywood
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/margaritaville-unanimous-choice-of.html



This particular photo, which would feature the plane near The Broadwalk, can be seen in larger format at:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49owJx8lADsLsRV58XsdG-PL4NmbwzdR0BtRS0D7VEhoNiMCkSr9OpNhqmK8LDWKXxsbaiPnzdMTgifhJxxzEXlnN8jsSV0TNj0sUs-h8JewvLGIPTOOgmSxIbwVeSY4dfXPKWjBErRH1/s1600/034.JPG


To catch up on what's been going on thus far, officially, go here:
http://www.hollywoodfl.org/html/johnsonstbeachrfp.htm


My own version of the past on the Johnson Street project is here:
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Margaritaville%20Resort
and here http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Margaritaville%20Resort

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http://www.hollywoodfl.org/wkcalendar/calendar_city.htm

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING

Monday, October 18, 2010 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Hollywood City Hall
2ND FLOOR – ROOM 215,
2600 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

AGENDA

A. TAC MEMBER INTRODUCTION,

B. FINAL SITE PLAN REVIEW,

1.FILE NO.10-DP-59
APPLICANT: City of Hollywood/ Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, LLC.,

LOCATION: 300 Johnson Street/1112 N. Ocean Drive (Generally located north of Michigan Street, south of Johnson Street, east of the Intracoastal Waterway and west of the Atlantic Ocean)

REQUEST: Final Site Plan Review for a 349 room hotel including restaurant, retail, banquet hall, swimming pools, and associated public/private parking garage

C. OLD BUSINESS None,
D: NEW BUSINESS None

Legal description for each of the above petitions is on file in the Department of Planning and Development Services.
Two or more members of any other City board, commission, or committee, who are not members of this committee, may attend this meeting and may, at that time, discuss matters on which foreseeable action may later be taken by their board, commission, or committee.
Persons with disabilities who require reasonable accommodation to participate in city programs and/or services may call the Office of the City Manager five business days in advance at
(954) 921-3582 (voice).
If an individual is hearing or speech impaired, please call 1-800-955-8771 (V-TDD).