Growth
I Wanna Put You In The Movies
October 27, 2006 
The movie dude hitting the Daily Paper front page and Channel 7 news stories with his subdivision dream has appealed to the collective quest of Idaho business, media, and education to be recognized.
The growthophiles have been duped in our humble opinion.
Like the ill-fated “Sweetwater Junction” that was supposed to be in Nampa about 10 years ago, this sounds like another gimmick with a real estate developer manipulating gullible people into supporting something. The Sweetwater dream included press conferences, a Hollywood producer who declared Idaho to be the ideal location for studios, and promises of roller coasters and other entertainment in a theme park setting complete with hotels. Sounds familiar today, but it never happened.
Former Guv Dirk used to coo in his serious preacher voice, “We need to do this for the children.” Developer Grant Allan–if reports are accurate–has the Chamber of Commerce, Boise State, and Idaho legislators onboard to bring Hollywood to Boise to “stimulate the economy and bring jobs.” He wants to build an “Idaho Film Studios Project” on 159 acres of desert land midway between a maximum security prison and a dairy with hundreds of cows at the Blacks Creek exit of I-84.
The TV station ran all sorts of “dream works” color drawings of ponds, streams, and lush green scenery. The Statesman went with sketches of several home styles, including Mediterranean and Cape Cod–which will probably look movie-set authentic in the desert. Part of the plan is to sell homes to the people who will flock to Idaho to work in the movie business.
We offer up “GUARDIAN VILLAGE”, a planned community with free child care, a convention center, energy saving hotels, charter schools, white water kayaking, horse trails, bicycle paths, a train, and round abouts on all roads leading to a parking garage with a big library on top.
We are just awaiting financing, but it should be coming soon.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Oct 27, 2006, 2:11 pm
To the GUARDIAN:
Maybe you should try to get access to the Judicial Confirmation process. You can get a Judge (I’m sure Judge Wetherel would be amenable) to determine that your proposed planned community is indeed an ordinary and necessary expense of local government. You might even be able to get a Kelo type of Eminent Domain ruling and take some prime property from the CCDC for your planned community. I would like to have you put my name on your waiting list so I can enjoy a nice white water kayak journey and then retreat to the lovely library. Great Idea GUARDIAN…Thanks
Oct 27, 2006, 4:55 pm
These developers will use any gimmick that a gullible person might go for, and then some. Like P.T. Barnum said, ” there’s a sucker born every minute.” I like the Guardians idea of what this hollywood extravaganza should encompass ; however they forgot a few things. A fully equipped gym, with spa, sauna and cold bath. Also every house should be totally energy efficient ( solar panels, wind energy farms to supply elec. and bio-degradable materials to build the homes. French maids and valets for the ladies might be nice, etc. If we can’t get rid of hollywood developers well make them pay for their games!
Oct 27, 2006, 5:50 pm
” Developer Grant Allan—if reports are accurate—has the Chamber of Commerce, Boise State, and Idaho legislators onboard to bring Hollywood to Boise …”
I’ve got a better idea: Why don’t they all just move to Hollywood? I’d even be willing to chip in a few bucks toward us buying all of them one-way tickets to tinseltown.
Oct 28, 2006, 8:09 am
The reason the growth tumor didn’t initially spread east was primarily the lack of shallow water and the expense to get what water there is to the surface. Add to that the fact that we never needed to desecrate our desert east of Boise for more piles of particle board that the noobs can infest.
If I remember correctly, the domestic well on the ranch at Blacks Creek exit is seven to eight hundred feet (or more) deep. Last I knew, no one had any real idea how long it took for that puddle of subteranean water to accumulate or how long it will take to replenish it.
I agree with Gordon. My hope is that all these high riding land rapists and speculators end up losing their collective butts and then choke on our “dirt” and their piles of hastily scabbed together chipboard.
Oct 28, 2006, 4:11 pm
dh says: “My hope is that all these high riding land rapists and speculators end up losing their collective butts and then choke on our “dirt” and their piles of hastily scabbed together chipboard.”
I say: Amen!!!
Oct 29, 2006, 9:38 pm
Well if you don’t like the idea of the State supporting this sort of venture, and you live in district 16, you may want to vote for Les Bock rather than incumbent Jana Kemp. At our recent Neighborhood Association meeting (as always) she touts her efforts to attract the film industry to Idaho and is anxious for the session to start so she can continue to lobby for state subsidies and tax breaks for film makers.
Her campaign manager (her Labor support) claims to be a member of the Stage Actors Guild (SAG), and together they gush about the potential for film in Idaho and why the taxpayer should give them a little love.
While I think an active film industry would be a good thing for Idaho, I don’t think it makes for a tourist destination, or deserves public subsidies when our schools are falling down around us, nor does it qualify as a foundation for communities.
Why does every business venture require large buildings and a fancy campus. Are there not already facilities to build upon, what about TVTV and the Communications program at BSU?
Sustainable industries and developments arise from within the community and are built from those foundations.
I guess developers always want to try and reinvent the wheel, makes for a better sales gimmick.
Oct 30, 2006, 1:25 pm
Will they have waterless toilets out there? I heard there is talk of composting the human poo and turning the pee into fertilizer for the organic garden at the Movie Town. Idagreen, as a lifelong Idahoan, how could I possibly vote for someone based on the facts? If I vote D they will raise my taxes and take my guns. Gays will start breeding and I’ll have to park my ATV because there is too much wilderness.