11.02.2011
By Liz Sheperd
...In May 2010, the city approved paying New Zealand-based Marinescape Ecoaquariums $100,000 to study the feasibility of opening an aquarium at the site of the former YMCA building at Beers and Fort streets...
But the city council approved purchasing the old YMCA for $200,000 in December and razing the facility for more than $230,000 in March. Officials said if the aquarium didn't come to fruition, some other development could go into the property...
Mayor Pauline Repp, however, said the money the city paid for the YMCA site was not tied to the aquarium development. She said the city's only cost in the project is the $100,000 for the aquarium study. The acquisition and demolition costs will be recovered when the land is sold to a developer, she said.
"I never wanted the city taxpayers to pay for it, and it doesn't look like there's anyone else coming forward," she said.
In November, after the Bay Mills Indian Community bought the old post office property and said it was bringing a casino to the city, officials said the aquarium could be moved to Desmond Landing and tied into the casino.
Brown said that aquarium plan ultimately proved unworkable as well. Meanwhile, Bay Mills is locked in a federal court battle about the legality of having casinos on property not recognized as Indian land by the government. That case won't be heard until next year... (Complete Story)
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