The agenda for Tuesday’s Richmond City Commission meeting was amended at the last minute to include an order allowing city land to be leased for an RV park at Camp Catalpa.
Richmond City Manager David Evans said there was no advertisement for the bid because it was not something the city was bidding.
“There was somebody willing to take on the project,” Evans said. “This is a big investment for the developers.”
It was a “private group” who bought the idea to the commission, Commissioner Kay Cosby Jones said.
“The lease says that if we’re not happy with their performance that we can terminate the lease with 30 days notice. We have not given the land away. We have leased the land for use of an RV park. I hope it’s a win-win for our parks system.”
The order was adopted allowing about 13 acres on the opposite bank of Lake Reba to be leased to Richmond-based Lakeview RV Park LLC.
Michael Eaves, attorney at Sword, Floyd and Moody in Richmond, is the registered agent for the business according to business filings on Kentucky’s secretary of state Web site.
Eaves could not be reached for comment about the upcoming project.
State Sen. Ed Worley denied allegations from community members Thursday that he was involved with the Camp Catalpa project. Many have been led to believe this because of his involvement in past projects conducted by Eaves.
“Initially, Allen and I talked to the city and I decided that it wasn’t something I had time to pursue with the legislative session coming up,” he said. “We formed the corporation called Lakeview Recreation Park. Allen Grant is working with the city commission.”
Worley filed a financial disclosure document Feb. 15 with the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission where he is to list “Positions held by filer in any business, partnership, corporation for profit, or corporation not for profit from which the filer receives compensation and the name of the business, partnership or corporation.”
Lakeview RV Park LLC is not listed on the document.
The work is to be done by A&T; Holdings Inc., a local company owned by Allen Grant Jr. and Tim Grant of Richmond.
A rough starting estimate for the project is “way over a million (dollars),” said Allen Grant Jr.
Richmond Mayor Connie Lawson said there was no need to bid the contract because, “We’re not paying anything,” she said. “We’re just sharing the profit.”
Richmond City Attorney Garrett Fowles said Tuesday that the city would collect 10 percent of the RV park’s profits.
“I think it’s a win-win for the city,” Grant said. “It’s more of a community thing. It’s going to be great for youth and I’m going to try my best to have some areas for the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.”
The entire campsite will be sewer accessible and will include several luxuries such as an amphitheater and high-speed Internet.
“I’m going to make a product that the city is going to be proud of,” Allen Grant said.
The land was “producing nothing,” Lawson said. “We’re not putting anything in it except some land we’ve had so much trouble with. Hopefully, we can make some money from (the RV park) so we can get land we can use. I really wanted the city to do it ourselves, but we just couldn’t afford it. It’s going to be a fortune.”
Jones admitted Tuesday that she has not always been a supporter of the development plan.
“I didn’t like this at all when I heard it the first time,” said Jones, a liaison to the Richmond Parks and Recreation Board.
“I thought it was improper use of park land,” she said. “We discussed it as a parks board. The view across the lake would be better and they’re going to make land improvements.”
Jones agreed with Lawson in that the profits from the RV park be used to acquire more city park land.
The area being renovated previously had been chosen as a location for a Frisbee golf course.
Jones said she hopes that the money will help find another location for this type of recreation.
The RV park has the potential to give Richmond and Madison County an economic boost.
“They (RV park visitors) will be buying gas here in town, eating in our restaurants and shopping in our stores,” Evans said. “It will be a good incentive for the local economy and should be a very nice addition to the city.”
No date has been set as to when the land development will begin.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rsahnnon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.
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This drawing shows the enlarged plan of the activity center and campsites for a new 13-acre RV park at Camp Catalpa. William Esarey
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