Casino at Sandestin?

[Misty]

This forum seems to have gotten an influx of local political morons recently. Did they shut down comments on the local newspaper sites?

The real political morons are those who seem to think that this money will just disappear never to return (perhaps with a better deal than the one currently being offered) and those who believe we should purchase a bridge we CAN NOT AFFORD including the BCC!!

 

[Jim Tucker]

English please.

 

[Zebraspots]

It is typical for federal funding to be lost if states do not come up with the required dough.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Perhaps that's because Walton County doesn't have an evacuation plan. No one has done the math.

The state does the math. I believe it is the Division of Emergency Management. All this stuff is on line if you care to dig it out of the state web sites. Don't know how current it is, though. Last I heard the clearance time was 20 plus hours, and that was before the real estate boom.
The County EOC does have a hurricane plan. You can call them up and get this info too.
Mind you, I am not saying the plan is any good, but it isn't accurate to say nobody has done the math, etc.
Best thing to do is make your own plan. Wherever you are.

Anyway it is apples and oranges. We need a new bridge for safety and traffic flow, with or without hurricanes, and with or without casinos. IMHO, if the county had been doing its job the last 10 or 15 years, we would already have a four-lane bridge.

 

[Misty]

It is typical for federal funding to be lost if states do not come up with the required dough.

My point was that for them (the Committee) to say there will never be an opportunity again is just not believeable. Who gave the DOT the authority to hold Walton County hostage and tell us that if we don't take this deal right now its over? It may not be this particular money but I think the County should at least be able to tell the DOT to come back with a better deal than the one currently on the table.

 

[Misty]

20 hours is mostly because people wait till the very last minute to leave. Even with mandatory evacuations you can't force anyone to leave their homes. And you're right about the plans in place...god only knows how old they are and I agree with you on the County doing its job. Why can't we get the same bridges built without a tax increase that our neighbors on both sides of us have gotten?

 

[TreeFrog]

To those who think a casino will bring high quality entertainment, I give you Tunica. Home of an endless stream of David Allen Coe concerts. Reunion tours by 70s top-40 bands. Cheesy 3rd rate comedians. They couldn't remotely conceive something like the 30A Songwriters Festival.

 

[jack S]

This forum seems to have gotten an influx of local political morons recently. Did they shut down comments on the local newspaper sites?

We have been trying to get a 4-lane road out of here for a very long time. It is desperately needed for evacuation purposes. I imagine there are only a few people who really care about having a casino around here and they own the property in question. Silly to try and tie a bridge to a casino.

Small people often start their discussion by insulting others views. It says much about them.

 

[NotDeadYet]

20 hours is mostly because people wait till the very last minute to leave.

That's only part of the problem. Were you here for Opal? Everyone waited until the last minute because that hurricane was not forecast to hit here until it changed course and intensified at nearly the last minute, during the middle of the night. The clearance time then, which was October, the off season, way exceeded 20 hours for some people. Forecasting is better now as to landfall but intensity forecasting is still iffy.
If you don't leave early you might not be able to leave. And at some point there could be so many people wanting to leave that you will have to choose between staying and possibly getting caught out on the road. Plan accordingly.

 

[miznotebook]

Also keep in mind that the bridge has to be shut down when there are sustained winds of 45 miles per hour or higher.