by The Editors on May 12, 2009
As much as we would like to do actual reportage on the Battle of Aviara, just posting the press releases from the two sides is becoming quite fun in and of itself.
Here’s a taste of what you can read from Aviara ownership group BRCP HEF Hotel Tenant, LLC in full after the jump:
“Our client, the owners of the resort, have terminated Four Seasons — and believe that Four Seasons is occupying the resort without authority to do so,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Bickel & Brewer and lead counsel for the owners. “Upon being notified by Four Seasons that it would physically oppose owners’ efforts to install a new management company, our clients chose not to risk a confrontation.”
Apparently, the Four Seasons has turned back to owners for the time being. Stay tuned.
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by The Editors on May 12, 2009
Our favorite Carlsbadistan-based life technologies company Life Technology has been “working overtime” lately to get out equipment that helps researchers identify infectious diseases like H1N1, aka Swine Flu, according to a story in the San Diego Business Journal.
“We have a surge of demand for this particular instrument from the labs associated with the public health network,” he said. “We are redirecting inventory to these labs as a priority.” . . The instruments, named Applied Biosystems 7500 and Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx, cost between $50,000 and $60,000 apiece. Dansky said the systems were only developed in the last few years and were originally approved by the FDA for identifying avian flu.
On the one hand we’re worried about Swine Flu, but as shareholders of Life Technology we have to think it’s good for business, right?
[Link: San Diego Business Journal]
by The Editors on May 12, 2009
On Saturday when the Four Seasons said it had “no intention to voluntarily relinquish its role as manager” of the Four Season Aviara they weren’t kidding.
The company that manages the hotel has reportedly erected barricades to keep the resort owners’ new management team off the property, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
William Brewer, an attorney for Broadreach, yesterday said the company was forced to delay its move to install a new management firm, New Jersey-based Dolce Hotels and Resorts, because Four Seasons erected barricades and checkpoints at the entrances to the 329-room resort to thwart the move. . . . Both sides were in federal court yesterday. Four Seasons was seeking an order to require Broadreach to continue its employment until issues are resolved in arbitration. Broadreach was seeking an order to allow it to take possession of the resort. . . Oral arguments on the motions are scheduled May 27.
Vacations in the danger zone.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on May 12, 2009
It’s turning into a pretty bad week for proposed desalination plant builders Poseidon Resources.
First, the California Coastal Commission is “rethinking their permit” after Executive Director Peter Douglas noticed that “information Poseidon provided that panel was inconsistent with information it provided the commission last year,” and that these changes could result in a larger fish kill, according to a Michael Burge story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Then, experts quoted in a New York Times story claim that it will be very difficult if not impossible for Poseidon Resources to get financing for their Carlsbadistan project if stalled desal projects in Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are any indicator. While Poseidon says they could get financing in place in “six weeks.” Tom Pankratz, director of the International Desalination Association, said such a deal would fly in the face of an international trend of stalled projects.”
Pankratz noted that larger desalination projects in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia have been left flailing for financial partners at crucial junctures. He doubted Poseidon’s reality would be different. . . “Right now, financing is difficult for any large project, and desalination plants are no exception,” Pankratz said. “For them to say six weeks in this financial climate, that sounds optimistic to me.”
The project goes up for a vote at the San Diego Regional water board “at 9 a.m. Wednesday at 9174 Sky Park Ct. in San Diego,” according to the North County Times.
[Links: San Diego Union-Tribune and The New York Times and North County TImes]
by The Editors on May 11, 2009
This afternoon we got an email from Tony Pistillo, the director of public relations at the Four Season’s. It contained a statement that was released on May 9, 2009 regarding the battle for Avaria. Here it is:
Four Seasons announced today that it has no intention to voluntarily relinquish its role as manager of Four Seasons Resort Aviara in Carlsbad CA. Four Seasons has managed the Resort since 1997.
Very recently, a dispute arose with regard to the 2009 operating budget for the Resort and the Owner’s obligation to provide working capital necessary to fund debt service. That dispute is currently the subject of an arbitration proceeding, which Four Seasons fully respects and will abide by. Four Seasons has fulfilled all of its obligations under the relevant management agreements. Four Seasons intends to vigorously defend its rights in the arbitration process currently underway.
Four Seasons will also seek substantial damages from the Owner (which is beneficially owned Broadreach Capital Partners and asset-managed by Maritz, Wolff & Co.) and its counsel for their conduct in damaging the operation and reputation of the Resort and of Four Seasons.
Without knowing any of the back story we’ll just say it looks like this might get a little more involved before everything is settled.
by The Editors on May 11, 2009
A “showdown” was scheduled for today at 1 PM in a dispute between BRCP HEF Hotel Tenant LLC, the owner of the Four Seasons Resort Aviara and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the Toronto-based company that manages The Four Seasons Aviara, according to a story in the North County Times.
The struggle dates to Friday, March 27, when the hotel’s owner attempted to extricate itself from a contract with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, a Toronto-based company that manages Aviara and dozens of other luxury resorts around the world. . . But instead of waiting for an arbitration panel’s directions, representatives of BRCP HEF Hotel Tenant LLC, the Delaware company that owns the resort, entered the hotel around 1 a.m. the following Sunday, picked the locks in a manager’s office and posted private security guards outside, according to legal documents that Four Seasons filed in San Diego federal court Monday morning.
Last week BRCP HEF Hotel Tenant reportedly named the New Jersey company Dolce Hotels and Resorts as the new managers of the resort property. Wonder how long it will take them to get all the signs, letterhead, menus, plastic cups, and keys swapped out with the new name? Whatever that will be.
[Link: North County Times and San Diego Union Tribune]
by The Editors on May 8, 2009
In a City of Carlsbad press release the City says that the new NRG Power Plant proposed for land behind the Encina Power Station is “inconsistent with the coastal act.”
A 1990 Coastal Commission report concludes that a second power plant in coastal Carlsbad would harm the environment and is inconsistent with the Coastal Act. . . The report concluded that a power plant on the coastal Carlsbad site would have significant impacts on visual resources, marine biology and air quality. CEC staff evaluating the current power plant proposal were unaware of the Coastal Commission’s previous finding.
Then again, that was way, way back in 1990. Follow the jump for the rest of the release. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on April 29, 2009
What does the Carlsbadistan restaurant landscape really need? Well, if you’re retired businessman from Rancho Sante Fe named Bruce Bartlett, then we apparently need a recreation of the Green Dragon Tavern, the tavern where “the nations founding fathers once gathered,” according to a Barbara Henry story in the North County Times.
The “Green Dragon Tavern,” which would be more of a restaurant and a museum than a bar, would go in the long-vacant Hadley’s fruit and nut building on Paseo del Norte. . . Bartlett is proposing to create a row of colonial buildings that would contain 21,281 square feet of interior space. . . One of the structures in the row would be a copy the Green Dragon Tavern, which has been described as the “headquarters of the Revolution,” Bartlett said.
A row of colonial buildings at the beach? Sounds horrifying.
[Link: North County Times]
by The Editors on April 24, 2009
At City Council last Tuesday night April 21, 2009 we got so caught up in the Stallga Norte Park spectacle that we forgot about the State of the Carlsbad Economy presented by City Finance Director Lisa Irvine. Though we took notes, we never wrote anything up. Luckily, the City of Carlsbad did it for us in a release sent out yesterday.
The city has developed a number of strategies for managing its budget that allow the city to adapt to the changing economy while minimizing effects on city services. In January 2009, to maintain a balanced budget, the City Council reduced total general fund revenue by $4.6 million, and reduced general fund expenditures by $5.3 million. Based on projected revenues, the city will likely make additional reductions in the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget, which goes into effect July 1.
The most interesting bits were about how much our City depends on Car Country Carlsbad and how poorly they are doing. There was also mention of how poorly Plaza Camino Real is doing compared to The Forum and Carlsbad Premium Outlets, but we already knew that.
For the rest of the details (minus any snide comments from us) follow the jump.
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by The Editors on April 20, 2009
The owners of the Carlsbad-based restaurant chain Pizza Port have reportedly purchased a building at 1956 Bacon St. in San Diego for $1.6 million, according to a story on Costar.com.
The buyers will occupy the building, which was constructed in 1989 in the Point Loma submarket. It was vacant at the time of purchase. Pizza Port has other locations in Solana Beach, San Celemente and Carlsbad.
Looks like the world is getting another Pizza Port. There can never be too many of those.
[Link: Costar.com]
As much as we would like to do actual reportage on the Battle of Aviara, just posting the press releases from the two sides is becoming quite fun in and of itself.
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