12/18/2006

Newsmakers 2006

Theme park reserves right to buy land

BY SHERI McWHIRTER

sherimcwhirter@hotmail.com

GRAYLING — State officials entered into an exclusive land purchase agreement with a company for a potential $160 million family theme park near Interstate 75, south of Grayling in Crawford County.

Axiom Entertainment in Rochester, on behalf of investors, has the sole, nearly two-year right to buy an 1,800-acre tract of state land off of Four Mile Road.

That agreement was signed in June by David Freed, chief of land and facilities for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

"But there hasn't been any proposal submitted at this point,” Freed said.

He said it's not unusual for formal development proposals to take time to be prepared.

The land in question was set aside about six years ago to be sold for an industrial or commercial park, in coordination with local officials.

Developers have been in talks to build a potential Main Street USA or Six Flags location there, an attraction that might employ 2,000 seasonal workers and 700 employees year-round, according to the company's initial estimates to the state.

Axiom officials declined to comment.

Gaila Gilliland, director for the Crawford County Economic Development Partnership, also declined to comment about a potential theme park near Grayling and described it as "a rumor.”

"The CCEDP has been working on several projects that show a lot of potential, but unfortunately, I cannot comment about them,” Gilliland said.

Freed said state officials will begin an appraisal of the property once Axiom submits a site plan and business proposal.

Any land use plan must be approved by both Grayling Township leaders and the CCEDP, and include a 30-day public review and comment period, according to the contract between Axiom and the state.

Site plan review for any project there will address a state-designated snowmobile trail that runs through the property parallel to Four Mile Road, said Jim Radabaugh, DNR trails coordinator.

That snowmobile route may be relocated to maintain continuity with state and county trail plans, if the land is developed, he said.