Nearly two decades after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still reeling from the aftermath.
An abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans East served as a reminder of the Louisiana city’s struggle.
two
The former theme park had been open for five years before the 2005 hurricane devastated its land, leaving an eyesore in its place and a city then with few resources to come up with a solution.
Hopeful entrepreneur and developer Troy Henry and project manager Vincent Williams, however, are trying to change that, according to Nola.com.
The pair are part of Bayou Phoenix, a group of local developers handpicked by Mayor LaToya Cantrell to bring the park back to life.
The mayor had promised to focus her priority and resources on the project for years, with the city seeking project ideas from developers in 2021.
After hearing three proposed layouts, which include plans for a transportation hub combined with a water park, an urban farm and a renovated water park with hotels and shops, Cantrell opted for the latter.
Bayou Phoenix developers explained that the difficulty of the venture was much more complex than simply signing a lease, a step New Orleans has taken decades.
Simply put, the demolition process is complicated.
First, the estimated cost of demolition fluctuates wildly between hundreds of thousands of dollars and tens of millions, according to Scott Hedlund, executive counsel for TKTMJ, Henry’s construction partner.
Hedlund explained that this is because no one is sure of the condition of the 227-acre park’s foundations and whether they are usable or not.
“We may find that because of where the water levels are, or the fact that there hasn’t been any maintenance in 20 years, some of it is useful, some of it isn’t,” Hedlund told Nola.com.
“Or none of it is usable and we have to take everything back to series level and start over.”
Before more than 90 buildings and attractions can fall, the U.S. The Army Corps of Engineers must also inspect the site to determine what percentage qualifies as natural wetlands.
This further complicates demolition as developers are unsure how long the process might take.
Once the exact percentage is determined, Bayou Phoenix will have to pay for wetland restoration or seek protection permits elsewhere.
There are still unknowns that we have to resolve. But we are confident that they can be resolved. I am a man of faith.”
Troy Henrique
Although the road ahead is long, developers maintain a positive mindset.
Demolition plans are expected to begin in late summer, followed by the next steps for a complete renovation.
Bayou Phoenix’s proposed “master plan” includes a water park, two hotels, movie studios and sports complexes like soccer fields.
The project is estimated to cost between $500 million and nearly $1 billion, but a clearer estimate will be available when it reaches later phases.
“As the land and associated infrastructure will always be owned by a public entity, we believe this lends itself to the level of investment that will be required from the public sector,” said Henry. said at the council meeting.
Henry added that he expects nearly a fifth of the project’s funding to come from government sources, totaling at least $100 million from taxpayers.
two
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
