Looks like the Lampasas Economic Dunces Club is at it again. Not since Jack sold his cow for some magic beans have we seen economic wizardry like they practice over at the LEDC.
First it was Mike Cour and his Eco-Turd scam. The LEDC (desperate to make a deal and finally get a tenant for their multi-million-dollar Goat Pasture) was strung along by ridiculous promises made by a charlatan. It was obvious to me how it would end, but apparently Talbert, Monroe and Walsh are a little more naive.
Unfortunately, they didn’t learn from that debacle. So they’re about to create another one.
From today’s packet:
I see a LOT of the same words and phrases that I have seen before and which indicate a high likelihood of bullshit. Words like “intending”, “proposing possibilities”, “hope”, “initially” and “up to” $30/hour. Mike Cour used a lot of the same bullshit words himself when he was proposing his ridiculous tire recycling facility.
Lots of wiggle room there. Do you know what wiggle room gets filled up with eventually? Bullshit. Lots and lots of bullshit. That, and failed promises. Which is why these deals are always heavily loaded on the back end: in a few years when it all goes to shit, who is going to care enough to point out what a train wreck it all was? Besides me, of course.
Here is how it will probably go down (and this is my opinion, not fact):
This guy gets a sweetheart deal on a lease. He then charges people to store their boats and RVs there – which employs nobody while all the money goes into his pocket. Not much risk to him there – he gets a free swing of the bat to see if he can get people to store their stuff there. In fact, if the idiots at the LEDC give him enough free stuff, he can also undercut any competitors in the area!
At the one year mark, he maybe tells the City that the market just isn’t quite right yet for the other stuff – after all, Brandon has been fucking up the economy for two years now! Can you blame me?? Can I keep using this as a storage space for another year? The LEDC agrees to this because they have fallen for the Sunk Cost Fallacy over and over again and they don’t want to admit failure.
At the end of the second year, same song and dance. Maybe the guy offers a ridiculous low-ball price to buy the property hoping an embarrassed LEDC will just puke it up to avoid more hassle.
The cigar bar and distillery and barber shop stuff? All bullshit. Will NEVER happen. Ever. We heard this “distillery/brewery” story before over two years ago when some guy was going to develop the Sante Fe train station. Remember that? I do – I called it bullshit then and it is bullshit now.
Several meetings ago, Council was briefed regarding the redevelopment of the Santa Fe Depot to a restaurant and possible brewery. Although the tenants have not been identified by the developer [shocker…I doubt there are any yet], he has proceeded with construction plans, specification and bidding. Mister Hardin has also discussed the possible partnership with the City to fund a portion [is that like ‘cost sharing’??] of the right-of-way improvements including sidewalks and flatwork – which may be between $80,000 and $100,000
There it is again – “possible”. As in, it is POSSIBLE someone will give me a free G5 private jet tomorrow. But I’d be a fool to plan a $15,000 honeymoon around that.