Port Commission

NSI Bidder Leon Heron owns what is described as a mixed use facility and spa just north of Thompson Station, Tennessee called Roderick’s Place. The facility which includes a restored antebellum mansion built in 1801, and is described on it’s website as, “relaxed rural elegance of the ‘Old South.’ The mixed-use enclave will include a world-class wellness center, charming 60-room country inn, 134 distinctive residences clustered in friendly neighborhoods, quaint Village Center accented by a covered bridge and a stately plantation-style building for hosting a variety of events.” So what or who is Roderick?

Two of Port Bidders for NSI are Partners with A&M
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When Ken Berry questioned Dennis Beal at a Port meeting last spring, Bell assured Berry that A&M was no longer interested in being a bidder for Naval Station Ingleside (NSI) but might be a lessee. Yet that option was back in the contract with A&M, who then ended up being a partner in two of the three deals they are currently presenting the Port. Not only are the two offers based on partnerships with A&M, they generate millions in fees and commissions over time for A&M, are both shy on financial commitment, bring few jobs or tax dollars, but insure A&M control for years to come.

The difference between APEX and the other two proposals, Service Marine LLC and Corpus Development, is quite simple, who manages the development of the property? In both the Service Marine and the Corpus Development plan, A&M stays the developer, and both state their plan is to “see that the vision introduced by Texas A&M is followed” and “to move forward with the existing vision outlined by the POCCA and TAMUS, Beal describes it as “a premier Technology/Energy Epicenter for the State of Texas.”

We the People News submitted a request for public information to the Nueces County District Attorney Anna Jimenez asking for copies of materials submitted originally to Carlos Valdez by Attorney Tony Canales regarding Robert Kostelnik's appointment to the Port Commission. Questions of whether Kostelnik was legally appointed because of his residence status were explored by Canales in depositions, affidavits signed by Kostelnik and financial records.

In the latest twist to the Naval Station Ingleside (NSI) story another last minute company surfaced just as the previous mystery bidder fell to the wayside. Since taking on the development of NSI in April of 2009 Texas A&M University System and its Development Director Dennis Beal seem to have struck out. In an suspiciously emerging pattern, every time their development skills are questioned, a last minute cash suitor shows up only to quickly fade.

Sources at the Port say that currently all of the previous offers except Swiftships/APEX Group of Companies have failed to produce and A&M refuses to present that offer to the commissioners. Promises by Service Marine LLC, a company that proposed using the facility for a deep water drilling support operation and a tourism submarine builder have disappeared and a Mag-Lev train building Indian tribe failed to follow through on local meetings including one between Chief Grey Wolf and County Judge Loyd Neal.

Loss means 1,000 clean, skilled jobs won’t come to NSI

Changes in the A&M contract with the Port seem to not have had any positive impact on negotiations with Apex Group of Companies who was seeking to bring Swiftships 1,000 shipbuilding jobs to Naval Station Ingleside. General Counsel Faisal Gill left a day early after the Port meeting last Tuesday to negotiate with Pascagoula, Mississippi and Brownsville, Texas to locate there.

Port revenues down $4.5 million
Texas A&M not only agreed to fees of 6% for a sale and 8% of any lease they develop. A&M can earn an additional 2% by getting a substantial signed contract for sale by July 31, 2010 and closing by Jan. 31, 2011. If they do not produce a substantial sale or lease by that date they will be terminated. In order to meet the "substantial" requirement, A&M must secure a deal with a minimum of a $5 million dollar downpayment.

Wants $5 million to install infrastructure

Ingleside City Council attended today’s Port Commission meeting to address their needs in any potential sale of lease of Naval Station Ingleside. After Mayor Stella Herrmann talked about mutual benefit and cooperation before introducing City Manager Jim Gray who laid out the considerations that Ingleside needs in any redevelopment plan. Ingleside Council has previously stated that unless the Port was cooperative in meeting their needs no water, sewage or zoning would be forthcoming from the city.

Kostelnik skips meeting votes tie 3-3

The big story today at the Port was that the City’s controversial appointment Robert Kostelnik was absent. Kostelnik has reportedly been getting encouragement from his Port Industry sponsors to rethink his support of Chairman Mike Carrell’s A&M deal for Naval Station Ingleside (NSI). It seems that the industry officials don’t see any gain in financial assistance to support the port if it goes to a non-taxable, non-tariff paying, non-rent paying developer. The base operations will be transferred to the Port on May 1, 2010 and with it an estimated $3 million a year in maintenance costs. The result was a number of 3-3 votes that stymied any clarity in the negotiations with companies for NSI.