On August 17, 2010 the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA, LOL), voted 4 to 2 to transfer ownership of the Superior National Golf Course to Cook County if the county agreed to follow a plan proposed by Scott Harrison of Lutsen Resort. “The Plan” would have included committing (gambling) another three million of future taxpayers’ dollars, and a new governance and management board comprising seven people including Harrison, other resort owners and several members of the current EDA.
On August 24, that plan was rejected by the Cook County commissioners. At that meeting, EDA Board Member Mark Sandbo was asked a three pronged question involving the decline of the golf course. Was it a failed business plan? Inadequate marketing? Poor management? His answer: “all of the above.” Barely a week later, August 31, another “new” plan was proposed by the same group of seven.
It is clear we have a select group of people exerting pressure on our county commissioners, consuming their time and our tax dollars. These people have numerous “plans” involving gambling with somebody else’s money—the taxpayers’ money—money not even collected yet.
When gambling, all players in the game start off by anteing up, they commit some “skin” to the game. Every taxpaying citizen of Cook County has decades of “skin” in this failed game. If this select group of people want to continue this game I would suggest they commit the ante this time and not every taxpayer of Cook County. Put some “skin” in the game, other than your opinions and “plans.” Play around with your own money, not ours.
Specifically, this group with its many plans, lend the money needed for the golf course to the EDA. Come on, you are all people of means. You can trust the EDA to repay you. In your latest proposal, that is exactly what you want the county commissioners to do.
When does no mean no?
Thank you for your consideration.
Paul D. Quinn
Lutsen
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