EDITORIAL

With many in the Newport Beach community seemingly ready to green

light the city’s purchase of the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, a few

cautionary words seem to be in order.

First off, of course, is a question of money. Although the owners of

the Dunes -- who late last month announced they would attempt to sell the

resort after owning it for nearly 30 years -- have not publicly stated a

price, it figures to be tens of millions of dollars. After all, the hotel

the Evans family is building in San Diego is running in the $40-million

range.

By comparison, Newport Beach’s budget for next year is $135 million.

That includes $26.97 million and $18.8 million for police and fire

services, respectively. Are we prepared to spend the equivalent or more

of the police budget for a year to buy the Dunes?

The money would not come directly from the city’s budget, certainly.

The leading idea on how to raise the money has been a city-issued bond,

which brings up shades of the $110-million school bond from last year.

And while the school measure passed, it took concerted public relations

efforts by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District -- including a vast

committee to ensure the district would spend the money wisely -- and a

dramatic need on our campuses to convince reluctant voters to dig into

their wallets. Is there the same compelling need at the Dunes? Is turning

the resort into a park or using it for some other public purpose worth

what it would cost?

That cloudy future also raises some concerns. Would the land be bought

only to fall into disrepair? Would it be kept open to the public, or

would it become a private resort along the lines of the Balboa Bay Club?

And if so, would that mean a public bond went to buy an exclusive club?

Is that a good use of our money?

Such questions need to be asked, debated and settled before serious

talk of buying the property starts in City Hall. The idea may be worth

pursuing. But before city leaders start in on it, they just need to make

sure it is.