Residents fix eye on project’s developer

Alicia Robinson

Opponents of the Marinapark resort have thrown out every conceivable

objection to the luxury hotel project, including casting doubt on the

financial dealings of developer Stephen Sutherland.

Since the City Council gave Sutherland Talla Hospitality the right

to negotiate to develop the property in 2000, residents have

scrutinized the project from all angles. They most recently

questioned the involvement of D. Michael Talla, whom they said was

involved in litigation over his business interests in Las Vegas strip

clubs.

Sutherland has said he requested that Talla withdraw from the

project, and Sutherland recently announced his new financial partner

for Marinapark is Woodridge Capital LLC.

During public testimony at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Tom

Billings, spokesman for Marinapark opposition group Protect Our

Parks, claimed a recent check from Sutherland to the city was signed

by Talla, but Mayor Tod Ridgeway said that wasn’t the case.

Sutherland said there’s just been a lag in getting Talla’s name off

the paperwork for Bayside Pacific LLC, a name the company assumed in

September 2003 after dropping the Sutherland Talla moniker.

“[Talla] was totally removed before the last City Council

hearing,” Sutherland said Wednesday. “It’s something that when it

came to my attention I was not happy with this one investment that he

had, and I asked him to withdraw, and he did.”

Residents also have touted records of tax liens the state has

against Sutherland as troubling.

Sutherland said the state assumed he was making income from a

professional license he wasn’t using, and he’s working to clear that

up, he said.

Marinapark opponents have questioned City Council members as to

why they didn’t turn up all this information themselves, suggesting

the city hasn’t performed the due diligence necessary for a viable

and aboveboard project.

City Atty. Bob Burnham said in-depth probing of the potential

business deal and those involved is underway, but many more things

need to happen before the council would agree to a lease with the

developer.

“Everything is contingent upon voter approval of the [general

plan] amendments,” he said. “We’re certainly not going to enter into

a lease with somebody that we don’t have confidence that will fulfill

the obligations of the lease and someone we’re confident that will be

a good member of this community.”

But some residents say they need that type of information before

they vote. Councilman Dick Nichols has criticized the city’s process

on this project.

“The way our contract has been set up, we really don’t do the due

diligence on the people we’re dealing with until after the vote,” he

said.

Burnham said it’s important for voters to know what the financial

proposal for the resort is before they vote, and the city will

scrutinize the developer before forging a lease for the Marinapark

property.

“I think well before the election, we’ll have that information to

the electorate,” he said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].