The Way I See It!

Mr. James Kasten, the developer of the failed rusty Iceport fiasco, is surely one of the sharpest salesmen the world has ever seen. Somehow he has convinced a number of Cudahy officials and many private citizens that Cudahy must participate in a $22 million plus settlement of $6 million lawsuit against the city. Mr. Kasten has already convinced the Cudahy CDA that he is now entitled to sell the land that he originally acquired for just $1 through the City of Cudahy, for a "profit" of over $12 million. He even sold you, without spending a penny of his own. What has a $1000 gift from Wal Mart have to do with the Iceport Site?

Mr. Kasten still controls his corporation, Sportsites, which still owns the land. Mr. Kasten handpicked the "new" developer that is proposing the new Wal-Mart and MILWAUKEE Wave buildings in Cudahy. Mr. Kasten ended up with more than $12 million in debt on the Iceport failure.  Mr. Kasten's new hand-picked developer says that only way the City can develop this land that the City once owned, is by helping in the $12 plus million dollar bailout of his client. They are demanding that it is Cudahy's DUTY to contribute over $6.3 million (of tax money that Sportsites presently owes the City) and that the City must allow the additional $6.6 million that the Wal-Mart developers are willing to pay for their part of land to also go to Mr. Kasten (and his creditors). The new hand-picked developer will then ask the Citizens of Cudahy for ANOTHER $10 million of future tax dollars. The City of Cudahy is being "sold" that it must agree to the deal, or be sued for not negotiating in "good faith" even though Mr. Kasten has tied up the city development for over 6 years, and forced the city to already invest over $12 million in the site for his dream of a 5-rink Iceport, that he could never get financed.

However, as they say in late night TV, "But wait, this is not all, if you act right now" and the City of Cudahy agrees to invest over $16 million of additional new tax dollars, we get a new MILWAUKEE Wave practice building that should cost less than $8 million to build. We can be the first city in Milwaukee County to build a brand-new indoor soccer facility that has only ONE full-size indoor soccer field. Let Franklin keep their immence sports facility with 4 indoor soccer fields and 5 outdoor fields. Just because that complex was also started by a non-profit group, but had to be bailed out by for multi-millions, by Milwaukee County, does not concern the Cudahy CDA. Mr. Kasten's hand-picked developer assures us that a MILWAUKEE Wave Practice center will "change the image of Cudahy and bring new shoppers and homeowners to Cudahy" versus, say, Franklin.

In like manner, Mr. Kasten's hand-picked developer insults the citizens of Cudahy, by demanding the City settle for a much scaled-down Supercenter Wal-Mart in the wrong place. The new Wal-Mart Supercenter proposed for this land is anything but super. The new Woodman's Grocery in Oak Creek is nearly twice as big as the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. The grocery store proposed portion is only about 1/2 the size of either the existing Cudahy Pick n’ Save or St Francis Pick n’ Save down the street. The proposed Wal-Mart part is even smaller than the present Cudahy K-Mart building. The proposed Wal-Mart /grocery complex for Cudahy is smaller than the Menomonee Falls Wal-Mart that was abandoned after just 15 years, when Wal-Mart built their full-sized store in Germantown.  Even the present bigger Franklin Wal-Mart is too small and is being increased 50% bigger.  The national trend is for Wal-Mart to build bigger and bigger Supercenters. In the last 10 years, Wal-Mart has closed 885 "regular sized" stores while building 1,912 "full-sized" Supercenters, except in Cudahy.

Futhermore, Cudahy does not need Mr. Kasten's land to bring an under-sized Wal-Mart to Cudahy. Wal-Mart was willing to come to the city before this proposal. Just about a year ago, Wal-Mart had offered to build a full-size Supercenter building on a different site in the City of Cudahy. They seemed to be willing to pay someone over $6 million for the land. There are a number of parcels elsewhere in the city that can accommodate a full-sized Wal-Mart Supercenter. The only reason why the citizens of Cudahy are being asked to settle for a scaled-down Wal-Mart in the wrong area, is just so the failed developer of Iceport can pay off his $12 million of debts, (It is even possible that Mr. Kasten and his hand-picked developer have a deal where Mr. Kasten will retain some of the land leftover to sell for an additional large profit later).

The City of Cudahy does not negotiate in good faith for its citizens if it takes a deal that costs the equivalent of a $2,832.32 tax bill to each and every family in Cudahy just to bail out the failed Iceport developer. Cudahy citizens do not need to watch once again as impatient City officials rush to throw multiple millions of tax dollars at the same exact developer that gave Cudahy the Rusty Monument to government stupidity, just because his hand-picked developer says we should. Cudahy needs to slow down, foreclose on our mortgage and take our land back.  To those who say, if we do not take this $22 million deal, nothing will ever get built on this land, I say this terrable proposal itself clearly proves them wrong. Mr. Kasten does not control Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart would pay the City of Cudahy just as readily as Mr. Kasten for the land. Mr. Kasten does not control the Milwaukee Wave.  The Wave is getting 100% taxpayer-paid land and building, why would they care if Cudahy helps Mr. Kasten get a $12 million bailout or not?  The City taxpayers should care, because they stand to save millions in unnecessary new taxes.

Joe Henika

Former Cler/Treasurer/Comptroller of the city of Cudahy

Joe,

   The Franklin soccor facility is for sale and looks like a dump.  If it was not for the Mexican soccor org. and the beer sales they would be flopping.  Soccor is not the answer.  

Rene Maersch-Winter is no more of a staunch supporter of Walmart than she is of of JC Penney,K-mart, Kohls or even Sams Club.

She does like to shop though and she loves a bargain.

I know this as I am her brother.

Bryan Maersch

WAG THE DOG

FranklinNOW