Thespians Part 5: The answer
Lockemuptight asks the salient question:
After the legal opinion was submitted back to Broussard by Adams and Reese does anybody know what land was to be expropriated by Jefferson Parish upon which the studio was to be built?
“Also both groups have been in regular contact with us via me.We(Administration) are moving forward appropriately as each requests our assistance with various elements”- sent by TA Whitmer on March 31,2005.
From reading the attached documents Aaron and his Chairman of Film and Digital Media Committee, Robert Vosbein of Adams and Reese, were both under a strict confidentiality agreement and were to meet in Los Angeles with a Raelynn Tammariello Loop representing the company,Loop Garou Entertainment, about the development of a studio in Jefferson Parish.
The other group was the local Marcello group evidently wanting Jefferson Parish to help them use their Churchill land for development of a studio. Since reference was made to JEDCO ( Jefferson Economic Development CO) was there a possible economic startup loan involved. However, it doesn’t seem that they would want their property expropriated.
One thing for sure Brian of JEDCO refused to sign any confidentiality agreements and was that due to some sunshine law regarding business contracts and deals? Brian refused but Aaron and his Chairman did comply and both signed confidentiality agreements. Is this typical of most proposed business prospects for JP or just Hollywood buz.
Then along came Katrina after Aaron and others had a planned August 18-20, 2005 meeting in LA., California and was that what caused the Hollywood studio tents to fold their plans or were other factors involved.
Perhaps Aaron had personal thoughts he may want to form his own production companies to participate in the anticipated big Grey Elephant( JPPAC) on Airline which is now after 6 years still not completed and only 25 MILLION over budget.
Only Aaron knows for sure !!
So the question of what land was to be expropriated by JP government for a film studio is unclear. Was the Parish going to possibly disguise the purchase of the Churchill property under an expropriation action to prevent media from disclosing the association of JP government with the Marcello group? Or was the expropriation of private property involved with JP government’s deal with the Loop Garou Entertainment group.
Whatever, it seems Katrina or some other factor intervened and the deals fell through
lockemuptight
January 23, 2013 at 10:13 am
“So the question of what land was to be expropriated by JP government for a film studio is unclear. Was the Parish going to possibly disguise the purchase of the Churchill property under an expropriation action to prevent media from disclosing the association of JP government with the Marcello group? Or was the expropriation of private property involved with JP government’s deal with the Loop Garou Entertainment group.
Whatever, it seems Katrina or some other factor intervened and the deals fell through”
You comment rings a bell and brings this to mind
“Massive subdivision planned on West Bank
By Greg Thomas
Real estate writer
A California homebuilder plans to develop a massive West Bank community with as many as 20,000 residences, marking the first major investment in the region since Hurricane Katrina destroyed or damaged some 200,000 homes.
“We want to rebuild New Orleans,” said Bruce Karatz, chairman and chief executive of KB Home, which has partnered with the Shaw Group of Baton Rouge on the purchase of a 3,000-acre tract of land near Avondale.
The two companies will work together to build condominiums, townhomes, single-family homes, and retail stores on the property.
“We’re talking a new city,” said Steve Dwyer, an attorney representing Joseph Marcello, the landowner who contracted to sell the Churchill Farms property, as the tract is known, to the partnership for an undisclosed sum. The Marcello tract has long been considered one of the last big tracts in the metro area suitable for development because of its elevation.”
http://www.hornetsreport.com/printthread.php?t=28940
Perhaps Katrina killed the studio deal, or the Marcellos thought they could get more money doing the housing instead.
Ross
January 23, 2013 at 11:13 am
Ross: Very interesting. I had heard that KB was going to do the massive building project but your reference proves that the Marcello group was probably going to supply the property.But again what happened to that deal?
Whatever happened to depositing a bleeding horse head in a bed as a means to convince Hollywood or a company to get a friendly deal done.
lockemuptight
January 23, 2013 at 11:23 am
Hollywood pulled out and went to Harahan without any explanation to the local political leaders. Shaw/KB Homes pulled out due to a 3 foot levee behind the Churchill property. They did not want to build up the levee themselves and be exposed to future liability when their private levee failed in the next hurricane so they pulled out of the deal. Churchill property is low-lying swampland.
Presario
January 23, 2013 at 11:33 am
Thats right Presario, through the years there is always some scheme for that land and nothing ever pans out. I believe i read somewhere the Marcellos wanted to put the Superdome out there.
Ross
January 23, 2013 at 11:53 am
Old life article on Marcello getting the drainage for Churchill Farms paid for with state money. This increased the value exponentially. Profiting off the taxpayers!
http://books.google.com/books?id=lVUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=marcello+churchill+farms&source=bl&ots=bDDx6LSY6g&sig=tnNUS-8wjLDpzRgYpuU8Tfx4ERI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9RsAUeTEBNOu2gWfjoDwBw&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=marcello%20churchill%20farms&f=false
Ross
January 23, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Yep, 4th page has the Superdome allegation.
http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/Weisberg%20Subject%20Index%20Files/M%20Disk/Marcello%20Carlos/Item%2015.pdf
Ross
January 23, 2013 at 12:01 pm
“Whatever happened to depositing a bleeding horse head in a bed as a means to convince Hollywood or a company to get a friendly deal done.”
HAaaaaaaaaaa! It reminds me of something i read in one of Nofio J. Pecora’s FBI files. He once said to an informant something like
“these young punks don’t know nuthin, i never made any money with anybody who’s not dead”
They don’t make Mobsters like they used to i guess.
Ross
January 23, 2013 at 11:41 am
Pursonally,if me had dat’ swampland I’d raise lotta’ crawdads cuz wit all dem’ bodies gotta’ have a lil’ meat still on dem bones.
Downside: Could result in crawdad mutants genetically looking a lil’ bit like famous missin’ pursons.
Who better to done supervise dem mutants – da’ Crawfish Doctor, mutant Al Scrmuzza.
http://youtu.be/V651zArqPRQ
lockemuptight
January 24, 2013 at 9:57 am