I want to applaud the current owner of Lake Winnie for dreaming big and making them come true. The amusement park is one of the largest employers in that part of Georgia. After being in business for so long and willing to grow at their own risk, this has really got me to thinking about a situation just a few miles away in Tennessee. I have no idea as to the wealth, or lack of, by the owners of Lake Winnie; however, I see that they have a finance company working with them - the owners are taking the risk to make their project work.
However, getting back to the situation in Tennessee, a very large investment company, York Capital, has a project in Chattanooga called Black Creek Mountain that they are backing, owning, whatever. Yet, they have sent some local, well-connected developers to the local government commissioners and council people to arrange financing on the backs of the taxpayers to help build this project.
Can someone explain to me and many other concerned citizens why a small family-owned business like Lake Winnie can finance a multi-million-dollar expansion, yet, a multi-billion-dollar company like York Capital wants people that are already in line for needed services to have to go to the end of the line and subsidize their building a project so they can enhance their wallets?
Just go to York Capital's website and judge for yourself if they are in need of public assistance.
Joe Blevins
Guild, Tn.