Page 89 of As a Last Resort
“Enhancing,” Glenn replied.
“By replacing.The idea of coming into an existing city is not to completely replace everything.It’s to build on what’s already there.Uncover unseen opportunities and elevate the entire town, not just build a bunch of new stuff to send everyone else out of business.Respectfully, you don’t come at these the same way you’d come at a new development.I’ve got the numbers here to prove the town can sustain an injection of tourism that would preserve all they’ve built, but take them to a whole other level, focusing on strategies that make the town unique and buzzworthy.This could be a gem of a travel destination if we do it the right way.”
“But you’re missing the mark.Thisisa new development, Samantha.Which is why Robby’s running point now, not you.”
His statement hit me like a slap across my face.Both the realization and the hopelessness of it sank in.I had missed it.I was treating this like a redevelopment project because I was so close to it.But he was right.We hadn’t been hired by Rock Island to revitalize their city.It was a new development, on new land.
My screen switched back to the full-room view and I saw Ivy’s stormy face looking at me.She hadn’t seen this coming.And there was no way to hide the shock from my own face.
“Thiswill be a gem of a travel destination.”Glenn pointed to the Water Whizz Family Time-share Resort logo behind him that filled the entire projector screen.
“It’ll be something, that’s for sure.”Ivy had been silent up until then.
“And what exactly do you intend to do with the miles of forest and trees that are currently the future site of this Whizz Resort?”I asked.
“It’ll be demoed.”Glenn answered like it was obvious.
“Demoed?”
“Well, we can’t build on trees, Samantha.I think she’s had a little too much sunshine.”Uncomfortable chuckles filled the air at Glenn’s comment and Robby shifted in his seat again next to me.
I plowed through the insult.“There’s preserved forestland there.And mangroves.And endangered species.And an entire dried-out birchwood tree forest on the beach that’s protected.”
My voice climbed an octave, but I couldn’t hold my frustration in.
“A dried-out forest?”Glenn repeated slowly.“So, a dead forest?”
“I believe they refer to it as apreserved forest, sir,” Robby chimed in.
“I’m sure we can find a way around it with the city council.Robby, you run point on that.”
“Of course, sir.”
My blood boiled.“The point of these projects isn’t tofind a way aroundthe city that you’re trying to help.”
“Oh!And check this out,” Glenn continued, switching the screen back to the presentation.
I stopped breathing.
“It’s called the Dolphin Jet.”
On the screen was a picture of the largest passenger boat I’d ever seen.
“It’s an HSC.”Glenn continued.“High-speed craft.They can go almost a hundred miles per hour and carry over five hundred people at one time.Multi-decked, top-of-the-line features.It can even shuttle cars across.”
Robby leaned back with a grin.“I already looked into it.There’s only one other ferry option right now that runs six days a week.Looks kinda dinky and small.We could probably fit their boat on ours if they wanted a lift to the island quicker.”He cackled at his own joke.
Austin.He was talking aboutAustin.
Glenn beamed like a proud dad.“Our resort will have a top-of-the-line craft.Safe in, safe out, extend the whole resort experience from the moment they step on board.”
I was panicking.“Why would we need to replace an already thriving business?Why not just use them?”
“Because we’re building a resort with thousands of rooms, Samantha.You think a little dingy can shuttle people over fast enough?It’d take a whole day just to land enough people to fill up the bar at the main pool deck.”
“But there’d be too much tourist pressure.Exceptionally high tourism traffic like this will endanger the identity and the cultural and social integrity of the island.What I’ve put together is more conducive to the natural habitat on the island—”
“Why don’t you show Robby around and we’ll reconvene in a few hours?”Glenn interrupted.“What’s on your agenda for today?”
