SFAAP Report: Something is fishy with Wonderful World of Oz plan.

[hdqrs@worldnet.att.net]

FORUM/OPINION: AS I SEE IT: Something is fishy with Wonderful World of Oz
plan 

By WILLIAM L. KOSTAR Special to The Star 
Date: 03/04/99 22:00 

It's time for taxpayers to weigh in on the "Wonderful World of Oz" theme
park. Like many of you other Kansas taxpayers, I was born at night, but it
wasn't last night! 

This charade has been kicking around the metro area for 10 years, and for
10 years it's always going to be tomorrow that the private investors are
identified or the financial records of the company will be made public. At
one time, a sheik was going to be a big investor, but, of course, he too
mysteriously disappeared like a mirage. 

Kansas City, Kan., and the Board of Public Utilities donated more than half
a million dollars for a feasibility study that amounted to nothing. Of the
big players involved in Wyandotte County at the time, one -- a restaurant
owner -- ended up bankrupting Sandstone and handing the bill to the
taxpayers, and the other -- a former lieutenant governor -- took an
extended camping trip courtesy of the federal penal system. 

And now this road show has come to Johnson County and, incredibly, is being
given serious consideration. Actually, it's more like Johnson County,
Arkansas! Just consider: 

1. The lobbyist for county government is also working for Oz, but assures
us he'll let us know if there is a conflict of interest. 

2. One of the county commissioners can't vote on the matter because his law
firm is the Oz bond counsel. 

3. The state secretary of commerce, previously supposedly a big booster,
has had to back off because his daughter is employed by the PR firm
flacking for Oz. 

Surely we could use the expertise of the late Jim McDougal and Web Hubbell
of Whitewater fame. No one has married a cousin yet, but who knows? On
second thought, comparing this to Arkansas is unfair -- to Arkansas! 

And we're not talking here with Michael Eisner, Donald Trump or even Wayne
Newton. We have a couple of people who say they dream of a $700 million
project and the only obstacles in their way are the facts that they have no
money, no land, no expertise and no track record. 

Here, dear taxpayer, is where you come in. With the help of our county
commissioners and state legislators, Oz is about to be given more than
9,000 acres of public property, in return for a promise that they will
clean up the property within 15 years, and $230 million of 30-year revenue
bonds -- instant developer on the taxpayer's dime. 

There are a couple of possible explanations: 

One is that the theme park idea is merely a scam to get control of
commercial property along the K-10 corridor. Remember Trizec and Union
Station? There was nothing Trizec wouldn't promise (sound familiar?). And
then, after nothing happened, it took hundreds of thousands of dollars and
many wasted years to regain control of the property. 

The second is that these folks are sincere about their love of Oz. But even
people who may sincerely believe they can fly usually don't ask all the
taxpayers of the state of Kansas to jump off the ledge with them. 

As public policy, this certainly doesn't meet the tests of fiduciary
responsibility, due diligence, open process or even common sense. The
assertion that the great Johnson County economic development capability has
scoured the entire country and these are the only people we could come up
with is laughable. 

Your county commissioners need to hear from you. Their number is 764-8484,
ext. 5500. Tell them to invest their own money! 

William L. Kostar is the mayor of Westwood.