Wednesday, July 9, 2014

THIBERT INVOLVED IN SALE OF RACE TRACK LANDS. ISN'T THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?

 "I am the general manager of the Fort Erie Economic Development and Tourism Corporation and the Chief Operating Officer of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium. I have been involved in the potential sale of the Fort Erie Racetrack property currently owned by Nordic Gaming to David Kompson."


As some might know, David Kompson is a well-known developer who is interested in buying the racetrack property - all except a parcel of 14.31 acres on Industrial Drive. Jim Thibert, in his capacity as head of the EDTC and the racetrack is going beyond the scope of his authority and it trying to broker a side deal with a potential buyer of the race track.

UPDATE: It has been rumoured that the deal is off the table for the potential sale of the piece on Industrial Drive. Now Thibert is trying to convince council to buy two other parcels, considered to be wetlands near the track. Cannot confirm this but it may come up in Monday's Council in Committee Meeting.

Isn't that a conflict of interest in itself? In true Thibert style, he goes on the attack against the very thing he might be guilty of.  In order to take attention away from his possible conflict, he misdirects attention to Don Lubberts whose employer may have done business with Kompson in the past. 

Why is the EDTC/FELRC involved in this sale anyway? Since when does the EDTC/FELRC enter into negotiations on behalf of Nordic?  It doesn't. It wants to make the deal easier by bonusing-er-helping the possible purchaser.  Why would it be a conflict of interest for Don Lubberts to participate in a discussion about the feasibility of bonusing/helping the sale when the man presenting the option does not even have the authority to do so? Just who is he representing anyway? Hard to figure out, yet he seems to know a conflict when he sees one - except the one staring at him in the mirror.

One thing that must be done by whomever becomes the next leader of this community is the repatriation of the EDTC back to town hall as a department, answerable to council.

This may well be the last year for the Fort Erie Race Track. Does anyone think that Kathleen Wynne will throw money at a losing proposition after the way she was treated by certain town officials? I would bet that David Kompson has his own reasons for wanting to just buy the land that is useable for development. He is not interested in the wetlands or the industrial lands in the package.  He wants only what can be developed. Can't blame him. Race track land is highly suitable for development, maybe even a gated community. LOL


Further Update from Way-back Machine.

Back in 2013, the Fort Erie Race Track was once again up for sale. This is a quote from Thibert in the Horse-Canada site:

“It’s my job to do something with that property regardless,” he explained. “It is developable land convenient to the Queen Elizabeth Way and is across the Niagara River from the United States. However, it is also easier to keep what is currently there than to find a new investor to purchase it…. I’ve tried to get someone to come in and buy the property, let us keep the track running, and use that as a major attraction.”

It looks like Thibert is merely looking for a finder's fee from someone, anyone who wants to buy the property. This statement infers that, even over a year ago when the track looked like it would close for good.  Another massive infusion of money from the province saved it as it was this year.  Certainly would like to know the attendance figures on this year's meet. Purses look pretty grim that's for sure.


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