Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement
The company hired to help redevelop Jeykll Island’s beachfront has pulled out of the partnership.
Linger Longer Communities said Tuesday their decision was “due to the uncertainty of the economic environment and the difficulty that this uncertainty imposes on a workable development schedule.”
The Jekyll Island Authority, the state entity responsible for maintaining and operating the publicly owned island, said the decision was mutual.
Linger Longer is owned by the politically influential Reynolds family, developers of the upscale Reynolds Plantation about a 90 minute drive east of Atlanta. The company’s hiring by the Jekyll Island Authority in late 2008 was criticized by some as a sweetheart deal that will enrich the Reynolds family but won’t return as much profit to the state.
Linger Longer had a deal with the island authority to build two hotels, a time-share condo complex, lofts and small shopping center. Its contract also made Linger Longer the authority’s consultant to help with long-term plans for the island. Linger Longer would have gotten first dibs — or right of first refusal — on every development or management contract the authority decided to seek over the next 25 years.
The authority’s long-term plan is to redevelop Jekyll Island’s beachfront, to replace timeworn buildings with a string of new hotels and condos. The state is to upgrade the island’s convention center and build an ocean-side park.
The 7.5 mile island off the South Georgia coast is owned by the people of Georgia. That won’t change, and state leaders have committed taxpayers to as much of $50 million in improvements to support the redevelopment.
Supporters of the redevelopment plan, including the Linger Longer contract, say Jekyll is in desperate need of revitalization. The island suffered a 23 percent drop in tourism from 1989 to 2008. Supporters also say the redevelopment plan will bring 700 jobs to Glynn County, along with more than $120 million in tax revenues to state and local governments.
The island authority said Tuesday that negotiations with Linger Longer on specific terms have been ongoing for the past year, but the authority has moved ahead on its own for a new public beach village. Gov. Sonny Perdue on Monday attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the village project.
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51 comments Add your comment
GoOx
December 8th, 2009
2:11 pm
This is great news for Georgia, and bad news for Jeff Chapman. He just lost his campaign platform.
Rhonda Atlanta
December 8th, 2009
2:33 pm
Oxy, go crash another car. This is a victory for Chapman
jarc
December 8th, 2009
2:41 pm
Dream on Oxyboy, this is like rocket fuel for Jeff.
Man, how embarrassing for Sonny considering he was just on Jekyll yesterday turning dirt at the new park.
citizen
December 8th, 2009
2:49 pm
I am so proud this beautiful park will remain in the hands of the citizens of Georgia. It has so much rich history and a perfect location to visit other sites along the coast. Now what we need is a full court press advertising campaign to bring in more visitors to help offset the cost of the revitalization project.
Linger Longer Left — Peach Pundit
December 8th, 2009
2:56 pm
[...] From The AJC: The company hired to help redevelop Jeykll Island’s beachfront has pulled out of the partnership. [...]
Linda
December 8th, 2009
3:34 pm
This is wonderful news indeed!
Aaron Gould Sheinin
December 8th, 2009
3:41 pm
Hey, Jarc, just to be clear, what Sonny did yesterday isn’t affected by this decision. This only governs the private development side of the redevelopment plan. The governor turned dirt yesterday on the public redevelopment section.
Independent
December 8th, 2009
3:42 pm
This is the best Christmas present! Now lets work to elect a governor who will clean house at the Jekyll Island Authority! This whole mess never had to happen if the focus had been on doing what was best for Jekyll Island STATE PARK instead of Governor Perdue and cohorts at the Capitol and on the JIA trying to fix a deal for the Reynoldses, whose deep pockets helped put some of them in office and in positions of influence.
Georgia Voter
December 8th, 2009
3:48 pm
Voters of Georgia, this is a call to our elected officials to take a good, long look at the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, and at authorities in this state in general. Authorities are not paid, but are paid OFF with the ability to cut deals and give favors. Thanks to the state of the economy, apparently, the taxpayers of Georgia dodged this bullet. Let’s find a new governor in 2010 who has the welfare of the people in mind. Someone like Jeff Chapman.
judi
December 8th, 2009
4:14 pm
YES!
Rhonda Atlanta
December 8th, 2009
4:45 pm
This is a call to support Jeff Chapman for governor. He knew it was a rotten deal. Wake up Georgia!
jarc
December 8th, 2009
4:50 pm
Hey, Aaron..I do realize there is a difference between the two. What I find delightfully ironic about the whole thing is the park site was originally slated to be condos under the LL plan. After much public outcry the condos (in that spot) were scrapped for a park. In the big picture, it has to be embarrassing for Sonny and the JIA.
Rhonda Atlanta
December 8th, 2009
5:15 pm
It was nothing but paying back Sonny’s donors with state land. And many of the players in the House Sex Gate going on right now was behind this. People on the ethics committee that swept Glenn Richardson’s deal under the rug were on board with helping Sonny screw us. Names like Jerry Keen and Eric Johnson. One man saved Jekyll with the help of Georgians and Americans all over the country and that man is Senator Jeff Chapman. Jeff was never against revitalization on Jekyll. Just a scam that screwed the tax payers. http://www.jeffchapmanforgovernor.com/
Mary
December 8th, 2009
5:25 pm
Great news for the citizens of Georgia and the rest of us visitors from around the US and beyond that love Jekyll Island. Keep it natural and beautiful. Thank you to Senator Chapman for his brave stance on this issue and thanks to the folks at IPJI and all of the other organizations that worked so hard for the past several years.
Eric Garvey
December 8th, 2009
5:30 pm
I realize conspiracy theories are intriguing, but Sen. Chapman’s political position(s) on Jekyll Island have been unfounded and had nothing to do with the decision announced today. (Either did Poythress’). Gov. Perdue gave direction to the JIA Board early on to do what is best for the island and the people of Georgia, and the JIA Board is doing just that. They have demonstrated over and over that they have listened, but are committed to bringing about much needed improvements. IMHO, the revitalization of Jekyll Island has no place as a political issue. It is important work that is being responsibly and openly – conspiracy theories notwithstanding.
Near The Beach
December 8th, 2009
5:57 pm
Mr, Garvey
You have been the choir boy on this crap all along. What Perdue did was take off a member of the JIA that did not agree with the deal among other things..You are right, there was no conspiracy, this scandal was out in the open. That past legislator who was on the JIA said the JIA was more crooked than any politicians he encountered in Atlanta. He also said if people like you who have attacked Jeff ( and used the JIA web site to do it ) keep it up, you will make him Governor. Well keep it up choir boy.
Independent
December 8th, 2009
6:25 pm
For those of you who might not know: Eric Garvey, if this is indeed the real person, is paid by the JIA to put out information that makes them look like paragons of virtue. In other words, he’s their public relations guy. How often should you believe everything a PR person says?
You just gotta love Garvey’s saying “…the revitalization of JI has no place as a political issue.” Well, ain’t that sweet. And you know it never would have been if there had not been a grandiose plan to try to make Jekyll into something it was never designed to be—all the while benefitting Mercer and Jamie Reynolds, two developers with very deep pockets when it comes to donating to Republicans. If you really want to see a tangled web, just do some research on the members of the JIA and people such as those on the supposed Jekyll Island Legislative Oversight Committee.
It’s about the same caliber as the Ethics Committee headed by Eric Johnson that couldn’t find anything amiss with Glenn Richardson….
Bob
December 8th, 2009
6:35 pm
And -I’m- supposed to be the conspiracy-minded one??
Jim P
December 8th, 2009
7:02 pm
This has always been a numbers game from the start.
Senator Chapman always said the numbers did not add up on every aspect.
Today Linger Longer said the numbers did not add up.
Here JIA’s paid shill says “Senator Chapmans position(s) on Jekyll Island have been unfounded.
Independent
December 8th, 2009
7:17 pm
Right on, Jim P. Could it also be that the JIA realized that the numbers did not add up in any defensible way either?
See http://www.savejekyllisland.org/RPAamendmentTableIntro.html for an earlier posting by the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.
Mae
December 8th, 2009
8:25 pm
The Jekyll Island Authority’s public relations staffer, Eric Garvey, is dead wrong. Sen. Chapman is not in error in objecting to the park stewardship exercised by the JIA but has been on top of the Jekyll development deal from the very beginning. He helped save Jekyll’s south end from high-end development; he saved Jekyll’s main public beach from being despoiled by hundreds of condos that would have deprived the public of easy access to the landmark beach in its own state park; and he called for the replacement of the Linger Longer deal with a policy of bidding out each development project that is necessary for Jekyll’s improvement rather than gifting Linger Longer, as the JIA was prepared to do.
In each of these cases, the JIA eventually adopted Chapman’s position, but for the wrong reasons. Where Chapman operated from a position of integrity and out of concern for the public interest, the JIA has bounced all over the place, first defending indefensible deals, and then reversing course once confronted with massive public opposition and a state senator who they could not chew up and spit out.
Now, the Jekyll Island spin slogan for Jekyll’s development is that “It’s All Good.” Well, that little three-word cliché may be true, if you’re Linger Longer. However, now that the high-end developer has opted to dump the Jekyll project for various reasons, the JIA is struggling to find a scapegoat for its poor business decisions and a way to cover up its neglect of its duties as stewards of Jekyll Island State Park.
Mr. Garvey would do well to stick to the facts and quit trying to fault Sen. Chapman, who has simply pointed out the obvious, which is that Jekyll has become political patronage plum, a fruit now gone sour once exposed the light of public scrutiny.
Independent
December 8th, 2009
8:31 pm
http://www.atlantaunfiltered.com/2009/12/08/jekyll-authority-backs-out-of-island-development-deal-with-linger-longer/
Atlanta Unfiltered offers a rather good summary of this news with a few more pertinent details.
Tim D.
December 8th, 2009
8:54 pm
Chapman is king to a bunch of jesters.
All of the stooges clamoring desperately for governor with no legitimate platform to stand on will attempt to tie themselves to this hot-button issue, while none of them have done anything but offer their back-seat driving tips to media outlets in order to get their names in print.
Tommy
December 8th, 2009
10:34 pm
Tim
That sounded retarded.
Harlan
December 8th, 2009
10:47 pm
To those who have not been to Jekyll lately: the “shopping center” the convention center and the beach motels there are crap. They desperately need a redo! The potential environment there, given the location and all else, is amazing. The reality there now is very 1950s, and not good 1950s. To oppose the proposed development out-of-hand is short-sighted. The political and some of the economic variables are up in the air again, but the aesthetic, environmental and other specific economic issues, IMHO, have been well addressed with the pieces of the proposed development which are moving forward. This project is not that big a deal for goodness’ sake. And Eric Garvey is not a choir boy. Hell, I’ve heard him sing. He is a dedicated, hardworking professional PR guy. If you want to make a point about this issue, keep it to the issue: what should or should not happen on Jekyll Island’s dunefront property. All this other crap is misdirected speculation and, I know from being there, is so much drivel. Merry Christmas.
Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live Gold just to Me
December 9th, 2009
4:10 am
[...] more here: Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live By admin | category: gold car | tags: chapman-link, dream-on-oxyboy, how-embarrassing, [...]
Rhonda Atlanta
December 9th, 2009
6:30 am
My ass.
Jim P
December 9th, 2009
6:53 am
Mr Harlan/ Mr Garvey/Governor
Give Georgians credit for knowing a bad deal and what amounted to a modern day version of the Yazoo Land Fraud http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazoo_land_scandal The opposition was never against revitalization. They were against what was an obvious rape of Jekyll Island. Mr. Garvey will not t tell the people here that the only bank on Jekyll is ran by a member of the JIA . That their lease is cheaper than the liquor store next door but the space is larger.
He wont tell you that the JIA doesn’t have a problem reaching into the struggling shop owners there cash register and taking rent based on a lot higher percentage than Linger Longer was going to return to the state. So screw you guys. The people won yesterday
Chichota Lion
December 9th, 2009
8:18 am
Just as there are opinions about the Reynolds connections – I find it interesting that no one ever looks at the motivation of the opposition. What is couched under “protecting the environment” or “keeping Jekyll for the average Georgian” is rooted in just as much greed. Why has Poythress made this an issue? He is being bankrolled by a Jekyll resident who wants his pink palace on the south-end of the island (the original Jekyll “revitalization” project that skirted FEMA construction guidelines) left as his own private hide-away. This same person has paid for the opposition efforts led by island resident who have a “blow the bridge” mentality – they have what they want and don’t care about the business vitality of the island. Chapman is no better than any other Georgia politician – just ask his former buddies on the Glynn County Commission. Anyone who believes that he is in this for the good of the people is living in la la land.
Glynn County Resident
December 9th, 2009
8:34 am
Pussy Cat
When Chapman was on the Glynn County Commission they did not have the SPLOST abuse they have now. And he defeated two of those former buddies in valid elections. .Now the present commission is building useless 4 million dollar project entering Saint Simons and spending like drunk sailors. You dont get the picture Einstein, no one was opposed including Chapman to redevelopment but why did it have to center around a political payback and land give away ?
Just Wondering
December 9th, 2009
8:38 am
Who is Jeff Chapman, and why does anyone care?
Bob
December 9th, 2009
8:40 am
I see why you wonder.
Bob
December 9th, 2009
8:41 am
Hey Pussy Cat
When Chapman was on the Glynn County Commission they did not have the SPLOST abuse they have now. And he defeated two of those former buddies in valid elections. .Now the present commission is building useless 4 million dollar project entering Saint Simons and spending like drunk sailors. You dont get the picture Einstein, no one was opposed including Chapman to redevelopment but why did it have to center around a political payback and land give away ?
Bob
December 9th, 2009
8:42 am
Chichota Lion
When Chapman was on the Glynn County Commission they did not have the SPLOST abuse they have now. And he defeated two of those former buddies in valid elections. .Now the present commission is building useless 4 million dollar project entering Saint Simons and spending like drunk sailors. You dont get the picture Einstein, no one was opposed including Chapman to redevelopment but why did it have to center around a political payback and land give away ?
April
December 9th, 2009
9:12 am
LOL The Glynn County Commission hated Jeff Chapman because he kept them in check. The norm there was to get on the commission and take marching orders from the chamber of commerce or the resort mafia. They could not buy Jeff Chapman. The voters were not stupid, thank god.
Just Wondering
December 9th, 2009
9:13 am
Bob,
No need to attack. I really have no clue who Chapman is. Is he running for higher office?
Reader
December 9th, 2009
9:19 am
Google is your friend
Bob
December 9th, 2009
11:01 am
The other Bob is an imposter, BTW. The first Bob post was mine, the rest are not.
Jim
December 9th, 2009
11:35 am
thank god there is only one Bob on the internet
Fact checker
December 9th, 2009
11:41 am
Let’s put all the emotions and conspiracy theorists on the sidelines for a moment. Here are some facts:
1. Jekyll Island needs revitalization and the associated revenues so that the state can be a good steward for Georgia citizens and take care of the island.
2. Piecemeal revitalization has never worked at Jekyll because the JIA nor its staff are really development professionals who have a cohesive vision of what redevelopment needs to be – financially or physically. Nor can you plan this kind of redevelopment with the community being in complete control of the planning process.
3. Having an experienced and competent private company managing the redevelopment process means that you avoid using inexperienced and poorly-equipped companies making bad decisions for Jekyll. These good companies must be compensated for their investments – and they certainly can make more money somewhere else besides Jekyll where every decision and every plan is subject to conspiracy theories, wild rumors and grandstanding politicians.
4. It’s fantastic that, unlike most other states, Georgia protects most of its barrier islands from development, and it’s great that most of Jekyll is protected from any future development. But when the state built that causeway back in the 1950’s and allowed people to build houses on the island – all with huge support by the people of Georgia – we forever made a statement about the future use of Jekyll. The causeway will not be torn down, and the houses will not be destroyed. Now we need to find a way to make the Island a great destination for Georgians, and find a way to pay for operations and maintenance because state law doesn’t allow the use of other state funds for these kinds of expenses.
5. The original Linger Longer plan included 66 acres of development. The reduced plan was only 22 acres – all on old parking lots and previously disturbed land. Even this small plan was too much for those who really don’t want any redevelopment on Jekyll.
6. Jeff Chapman made Jekyll his personal project when his big contributor – the wealthy gun dealer in the gaudy pink house next to the shorebird habitat – got into a nasty personal fight with some JIA members. Then it got even more personal for Jeff when he was snubbed by his own party and not appointed to the Jekyll Legislative Oversight Committee. Moreover, none of his Jekyll legislation the past couple of years ever got out of committee. He has been a non-factor in the Senate on anything. He will run sixth in a six-person Republican primary for Governor.
7. Poor Jekyll will continue to limp along for many years to come. It will never be a pristine wildlife habitat like Cumberland or Little St. Simons. Under current plans, it will never be a competitive tourist or convention destination under any definition of competitive success – financially, educationally, ecologically or culturally. It may not even be a great place to live if the JIA must substantially raise fees and leases to cover costs.
So, for those of you so inclined, go wave flags of victory over the dead carcass of our beloved Jekyll. It’s a great island with a great history. Too bad the most recent history is not its finest hour.
Jim
December 9th, 2009
11:50 am
Give it a rest Garvey
Warnin
December 9th, 2009
12:36 pm
OK, this is great! Now all of you critics who “knew” there was a better way can pool your money and get this project going. What’s that? You say you don’t have any money! You can’t get a loan! Even if you could, you wouldn’t, because there is nothing to do on Jekyll and no one will come and pay enough for a hotel room for you to make a profit. Oh, now I understand, you didn’t know what you were talking about, but you jumped on the bandwagon because you knew everything was crooked and just the fat cats would get something out of this. Well guess what, now nobody is going to get anything out of this but the bunch of welfare birds who live on Jekyll. I would invite the business school at the University of Georgia to study this situation and see if they can find a case history that is anymore screwed up. The island is run by an authority which has proved itself to be the most incompetent governmental entity since the inception of government itself. Their mandate is to maintain a facility that can be enjoyed by the people of Georgia, but they insist on doing away with picnic areas, camping areas or anything that would allow the residents of our state to enjoy Jekyll. They prohibit free enterprise by auctioning exclusive rights to sell groceries, operate a pharmacy, operate a liquor store, etc. You can’t even buy a Big Mac on Jekyll. The first thing that has to go is the authority! You get rid of them and you can move forward with a viable development plan. And, you would also make a great deal of progress by buying the residents out and shipping the lot of them to Florida (50% of them live out of state anyway and the remainder are mostly retirees from up north). Why should the people of Georgia subsidize their lifestyle with dirt cheap land leases. But, to the residents of Georgia I say too bad. You have a beautiful island that continues to do nothing for you but consume your tax dollars. If it were me I would sell the whole thing to Disney or Donald Trump or someone who could make something out of it. It’s for sure that our State will continue to waste this resource.
Jim
December 9th, 2009
12:52 pm
It was the stales lease. Why attack the residents ?
downsouth
December 9th, 2009
2:55 pm
it was always about HOW the revitalization was planned. instead of a plan for high rises, and time share / condo garbage, right in the middle of some of the plumb acreage, they wanted a more resonable development that was more low key and suited to the island. if you want high rises and high falutin’ hotels and such, go to St. Simons / Sea Island / Amelia Island!!!! redo the hotels there and let them be 2 story and not something crazy that is mostly empty except during the high season.
one of the reasons the old hotels were so run down was that they were not properly maintained. anything on the beach needs to be meticulously mainted to provent the mold and mildew and such. most building need painting at least every two years, maybe every third year. keep the shrubs cut back from touching the buildings so everything gets good air circulation and can dry out, it’s pretty easy, it just needs a bit more maintenance than they were providing, and it killed them in the long run. the longtime hotel companies didn’t do the proper upkeep, and so they didn’t age well. good riddence to the Ramada, and the new Hampton Inn & Suites is scheduled to open in Jan. Can’t wait to visit!!!
Fact checker
December 9th, 2009
3:21 pm
I suspect that Garvey would do a better job of checking his text for errors. And he doesn’t seem too shy about sticking his neck out on behalf of the JIA or the island. For an underpaid state employee, I think he has endured more than his share of undeserved abuse.
That said, I still don’t think that Garvey or his state-employed associates – despite meaning well – have the expertise to pull off a serious revitalization of Jekyll. Further, I suspect that the controlling members of the JIA Board have too high an opinion of their own abilities to let a third party company manage or control the process. Perhaps that also had something to do with the Linger Longer pullout,
Maybe Linger Longer just couldn’t linger any longer.
Rhonda Atlanta
December 9th, 2009
4:23 pm
One thing for sure. If the General or Senator Chapman is sworn in as Governor, Garvey will last about 3 hours into his state job. I think you would also see the JIA in the way it is formed abolished. BTW, the way it is formed is by people that contribute to the governor money during an election year and does what he wants. I guess Garvey thinks it was a conspiracy during cut backs and lay offs for the road up to Reynolds Plantation mysteriously included into the DOTbudget to get 4 lanes with state money.
Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live | Georgia Today
December 9th, 2009
10:32 pm
[...] See the original post here: Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live [...]
Dennis
December 9th, 2009
10:35 pm
” These good companies must be compensated for their investments – and they certainly can make more money somewhere else besides Jekyll where every decision and every plan is subject to conspiracy theories, wild rumors and grandstanding politicians.”
Well, let’em go somewhere else. Nobody of any sense wants them on Jekyll Island. And if it’s that bad for you, then don’t go there. Go on up the road to Hilton Head.
And it’s interesting how you conveniently overlook the JIA’s sly attempt to include the marshes as a part of the percentage of the island that could be developed.
There’s egg (being politically correct, here) on the face of everyone who’s been a part of this shaddy doing. You’ve been caught with your pants down.
This may not be over yet, but you can bet those who’ve protested this political giveaway/payback aren’t finished with it either.
Marshall
December 10th, 2009
2:45 pm
Thank God for the little people! Tax paying Families of Georgia and across the country still have a place they can go and really get away from the day to day grind. This is a major victory for the family. Now go enjoy one of the last true natural islands left in the entire USA. I never will understand the people like me who sit in traffic all day everyday and then go vacation in places where they sit in traffic and wait in line all vacation long. We are getting back to basic in this country and I for one think it is a good development. Their is no better place I know to slow down than Jekyll Island GA, enjoy it and leave it like you found it. Keep our politicians away from our State Park! Those who say they can improve Jekyll Island will only do the opposite. If you want to improve the exsisting hotels and properties its real simple stupid, extend the leases for all property owners another 99 years and they will spend there own dollars to improve there properties. Its not very hard, then again politicians like to use Jekyll Island as a political football, thats what politicians do best. Just ask Sunny, he is a real pro when it comes to political football. For Gods Sake, leave the family one place like it use to be, just plain SIMPLE.
Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live | Headlines Today
December 11th, 2009
5:49 pm
[...] here: Breaking: Linger Longer ends Jekyll Island agreement | Gold Dome Live Share and [...]
Suzy
December 14th, 2009
9:47 am
Isn’t revitilation a fancy term for trying to get people to go some place they have no interest in going? they just raised to fee to get on the Island from $3 to $5. Five bucks to see sick sea turtles and the old millionaires club? They should get rid of the stupid drive on fee so that people might want to come check the place out. Plus I’m paying to go visit an Island that belong to me as a Georgia resident? Doesn’t my taxes pay the damn drive on fee?