Business as usual for Gaylord
Since Mayor Cox has been so eager to take Gaylord’s promises at face value, I decided to take a look at other agreements that Gaylord has made to woo community leaders. Gaylord’s track record for keeping promises turns out to be pretty ugly. To put it simply, it’s business as usual for Gaylord to make a deal that sounds great to everybody, then -- as soon as they get their foot in the door -- to do whatever it takes to change the original agreement to fit their agenda.
Take Osceola County, Florida for example. When Gaylord executive Jim Collins was negotiating to build an Opryland Hotel and Convention Center there, he said that no incentives would be requested by Gaylord or any individual involved with the development. Despite this assurance, Gaylord still worked out a deal where they would get up to $90 million in tax incentives over 30 years. Perhaps the Osceola County Commissioners decided to loosen up the public’s purse strings after getting showered with multiple $500 contribution checks from Gaylord and their development partner Xentury City?
Even after greasing the wheels, Gaylord was denied permission by the Osceola County Board to build a county-subsidized expansion on to the Convention Center. How did Gaylord respond? They went against the county’s ruling and built the expansion anyway.
Unfortunately, Gaylord’s lies, bullying and backroom deals in Osceola are typical behavior for this mega-developer. Just ask the people of Grapevine, Texas, or Prince George, Maryland what they think of Gaylord’s “promises.” Or maybe it’s Mayor Cox who should be asking these hit-and-run developers about what they really plan on doing to our bay front.
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