bodhipooh wrote:
While I think the SciTech idea is downright silly, your claim about that plot of land being "very valuable" is almost as goofy. It is contaminated marsh land, sandwiched between an industrial service road and the turnpike extension, and during most of the year it stinks terribly.

Monroe wrote:
What a load of crap. JC will get back money, an unknown amount, IF profits are generated AFTER $78 million is paid back from these 'profits'? Just how much merch do they sell now from the gift shop?

A good accountant can structure this so the LSC won't make a profit for a hundred years, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that JC will continue to subsidize it-now they expect it to pay back $78 million of profits, when JC has been throwing money at it for years??

Yvonne wrote:
First, this land is worth more than $20 million. We sold 2.5 acres to the Medical Center for $24 million. Healy's negoitations were $12 million and Fulop increased the price. This land is in a park, near the Light Rail with spectular views. It is probably worth more per acre than the land we sold to the Medical Center. It could be $160 million to $200 million dollars for the site. In the meantime, we bond for everything and Fulop did keep our money from the MUA. That is $31.5 million. Let's get real, the city is always trying to figure out ways to balance its budget. Stop the games, give one acre to the public school for a new high school and sell the rest of the land to put in our budget.

Stringer wrote:

Fulop critics urge Jersey City Council to rethink $20M Liberty Science Center land deal

HUDSON COUNTY VIEW -By  John Heinis  February 24, 201

Two consistent critics of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s administration urged the city council to rethink a $20 million, 16-acre land deal with the local redevelopment agency to move the Liberty Science Center’s “SciTech Scity” project forward.

“So you plan to giveaway 16 acres [of land] worth $20 million? Wow. But first you want to transfer it to the JCRA (Jersey City Redevelopment Agency). What is [sic] JC residents getting for giving away $20 million in real estate?,” Josephine Douglas-Paige asked the council at Wednesday’s meeting.

http://hudsoncountyview.com/fulop-cri ... science-center-land-deal/

135jc wrote:
Smells like Xanadu II!

JCGuys wrote:
Quote:

caj11 wrote:
Must be nice, with all the FREE land they're getting from Jersey City to build it. Are we sure we can trust Liberty Science Center to not screw this project up?

Remember some years ago when the city had to bail out Liberty Science Center with an interest-free $ 2.5 million loan? This was because when they expanded their buildings years ago, they had no clue how massive the increased utility costs were going to be. I don't know if they ever paid the loan back either.

Furthermore, let's not forget all the vice presidents the organization has with their extremely bloated salaries and yet they laid off a slew of people who make less than $ 30,000 per year. Yeah, I'm sure they'll do great running a hotel, school, residential community and research facility.

You sound like DanL. This is a fantastic and welcomed addition to the city. Unless you're saying the land should have been sold to the highest bidder.

caj11 wrote:
Must be nice, with all the FREE land they're getting from Jersey City to build it. Are we sure we can trust Liberty Science Center to not screw this project up?

Remember some years ago when the city had to bail out Liberty Science Center with an interest-free $ 2.5 million loan? This was because when they expanded their buildings years ago, they had no clue how massive the increased utility costs were going to be. I don't know if they ever paid the loan back either.

Furthermore, let's not forget all the vice presidents the organization has with their extremely bloated salaries and yet they laid off a slew of people who make less than $ 30,000 per year. Yeah, I'm sure they'll do great running a hotel, school, residential community and research facility.