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Not Every Developer Needs Handouts

A 1970s Niagara Aquarium postcard.

An Aquarium that makes a profit?

Dear Mr. Parlato,

I read your article on the Aquarium study/closure with great interest. I have built a successful aquarium here in a small market (Salt Lake City) that draws 450,000 visitors a year (in a 43,000-square-foot facility), and we are now building a new facility that is 136,000 sq ft. based on our success.

Rather than the typical cost of $300 to $500 per sq foot, I have been able to create these at less than $170 per square foot, and could certainly do the same for the aquarium there. I have also been able to make it run in the black, so whether it is 501c3 nonprofit or even for profit, I can make it work according the what the local leaders would like (If the decision is not a forgone conclusion), as well as scale it to whatever size is best. If I may be of any assistance just let me know.

Thank you.

Brent Andersen

Mr Andersen, how refreshing it is to hear a man say he can make a business successful without government subsidy. Of course, the people in Salt Lake City are perhaps smarter than the people of Niagara Falls who can’t seem to do anything except on the socialist model. Every millionaire developer here has to have a government subsidy to lay a brick down.

Then we raise taxes to pay for these developers.

Whether it is a hotel, an Experience Center, or an aquarium, government officials (men who never developed anything with their own money) decide what to develop and which politically- connected developer gets the tax money.

We are too impatient to make it on the old-fashioned business model of supply and demand.

We need government deciding what to build, how to build it and even how to pay for it.

It is now dogma that no one can develop anything here without government subsidy.

The problem is the government takes from the middle class and gives it to the rich developers.

Funny, the developers that always seem to get corporate welfare are the same ones who make the largest political donations to the same officials (or their bosses) who decide which developers get the money.

As stolen fruits never sweeten – so too is our development. No matter how much tax money is spent to give away to rich developers – the city never gets better. Although a lot of developers get better. They pocket the money and walk.

Corporate welfare skews supply and demand and makes us poorer. Just like personal welfare skews the work force and makes the middle and poor working classes poorer since they are the ones who really support welfare non-workers through taxes withheld from them, increased property taxes, higher rent to pay for their landlord’s increased property taxes and higher prices for goods and services as “rich corporations,” paying higher taxes raise their prices.

Most here still think more government is what is needed even though it is killing the city.

Like a crack head thinking one more hit of crack will cure his addiction.

You might better stay in Salt Lake City. Here, with a few notable exceptions, all we have are babies.

Consider, that even with one of the greatest attractions in the world – we are dead, flat broke.

No one else who has such an attraction is broke. Even across the river they are bustling rich.

We live in the highest taxed state in the highest taxed county in America.

The socialist model has failed. But if you came here, Sir, and even so much as suggested you could develop an aquarium with your own money and make it profitable without government subsidy the mayor and USA Niagara would adorn your skin with a luscious thick lacquer of deep, rich, black tar and then affix a display of colorful feathers and lastly you would be given a free ride out of town on our new $40-million train station leading to nowhere.

That said if you still want to try, the Reporter will be glad to try to assist you- provided you are not seeking corporate welfare.

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter www.niagarafallsreporter.com Sep 25 , 2012