Developer Leshem throws another $125 thousand in chump change toward the $ Multi-million Wal-Mart project
This morning's Standard-Examiner provides a hint of good news regarding Emerald City's stalled downtown Wal-Mart Supercenter project. Ace Reporter Schwebke's morning story reports that "developer" Gadi Leshem last week actually coughed up the $125,000 in earnest money provided in the sale contract with Ogden property owner Mark Boyce "about a month ago." While the payment of a contractually-required "down payment" is something that normally occurs simultaneously with the execution of a property purchase agreement in a normal transaction, we already know that Gadi Leshem isn't exactly what anyone would label a "normal developer." Looking at the bright side though, (we always like to look at the bright side), it appears that at least Mr. Boyce didn't require the services of Gadi crony Boss Godfrey to pry this latest earnest money payment loose, unlike the situation with Boyce's neighbor, Brent Cox.
Ace Reporter Schwebke also provides a handy scorecard this morning, regarding the four properties which yet remain "unacquired" by Mr. Leshem:
1) Boyce has received his earnest money, as we said. His transaction is expected to close in October;
2) Gadi is apparently in breach of contract as to the Cox transaction, although he is making noise about a "soils" problem, a possible failure of a contingency which might provide Mr. Leshem a contractual "out." Cox has nevertheless put his property back on the market, although the ever-optimistic Dave Harmer suggests another heretofore unnamed developer/accommodator/white knight is standing somewhere in the wings;
3) The Praxair property remains unacquired. Schwebke provides no information about the possible status of the transaction; and,
4) Although the Northern Exposure Gentleman's Club is now shut down (sniff), Mr. Leshem still doesn't show up in title as the record owner. Once again we have no hint about the status of this property acquisition.
This morning's news does provide some slight encouragement that the project is making progress, although we also submit that Mr. Leshem's recent behavior could possibly reflect the fact that Mr. Leshem isn't quite so flush with cash as his proponents have suggested in the past, shall we say. The so-far demonstrated perfomance to date on the part of Mr. Leshem somehow doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the Moneyman who plans to singlehandedly finance the makeover of half of downtown Ogden as far as we're concerned -- if you take our meaning -- which we think you do.
Comments are invited as always.
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8 comments:
Rudi:
Northern X bit the dust, eh? Not surprising, as that particular T was S-I-C-K sick; The Trails is one of few things I miss about the Big City down south, and I'm writing expressly about the chicken fingers. Nevertheless, most local gentlemen prefer the Lighthouse, which is still operating (?) under imminent threat of its building being redevelop by some California (sorry!) GONDOLA ahole who will turn the Berthana into a modern-day Copa, if only Wayne Peterson and his famed Squirrel Patrol, Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey and the onion-reeking Geigers can make their mystical aerial cableway people-mover appear in such an economically obnubilate climate. Rest easy, though, OTown, Lying Little Matty has hung our hat on an industry that's impervious to any financial or market force: high-adventure recreation! That's right: Ice towers, slippery slides, fake skydiving and skee-ball at the Jackass Center! We're fine! We'll even build a circus ride over our streets! And why? Because we have a crooked short Israeli, felony fraudster from the Westsiiiiieeeede! to save our river and a Patagonia-vest-wearing, Thorazine-addled squirrel-hater from Idaho, nee Sandy, named Wayne to foverer alter our fortunes with a sewer-free castle in the hills and an urban GONDOLA to nowhere. Worse yet, our lying Lilliputian mayor -- Matty -- is not only guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, he commits the worst of sartorial blunders: he drapes the same two or three $800 to $1,000 suits over his teeny-weeny person, then wears worn-out, ridiculous, 15-year-old Nunn Bush loafers. Think, Weency Matty, think: never scrimp on belts, shoes, watches.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
*****!
When historians look back on this period of our history, there's a good chance they'll dub it "The Age of Euphemism." The Bush administration doesn't "raise taxes," it arranges "revenue enhancements." Mercedes doesn't sell used cars, it offers "pre-owned" vehicles for your buying pleasure. And Ogden doesn't have strip joints, it has "gentlemen's clubs."
Enough already. A revenue enhancement is a tax, Mercedes sells used cars, and Northern Exposure was a strip joint.
Godfrey drapes Brown suits over his diminutive torso constantly. Not exactly the power look, which would dictate shades of Grey, Navy and black.
One of his best moments was when he showed up at a winter event in a nice Navy topcoat (it came down to his knees, of course), with a brown suit underneath, and a pair of cheap unshined shoes that looked like they'd come from Deseret Industries.
Godfrey should also quit buying his suits off the rack.
He's still short enough that when he buys an otherwise expensive suit, an off the rack a jacket in a 32 short hangs 6" below his ass.
Don't think for a minute that the people he deals with don't quickly size him up, because of his fashion feaux pass, as a cherry-picker from Utah's "hick" farmland.
Jason's right. Godfrey is a fashion disaster.
And how do we size up someone who makes orthographic faux pas?
Is Gadi operating from the California prison system now, or will he redevelop Ogden from his prison cell like Al Capone later?
Just curious.
Jason W.
Your fashion critique has finally outed you as the douchey fratboy you are.
Oh, and you also sound drunk.
Hail Critchlow!
Jason,
You have left us hanging, so to speak.
You started talking about strip parlors and then spent all the time talking about Godfrey.
Perhaps you would care to fill us in on all the ups and downs, so to speak, of the local strip parlors, leaving out such details as might offend the family audience.
You could do just a nice professional write up on an ongoing and overlooked local attraction.
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