04121966 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I BEN FRANKLIN STORE 21 8-22D N. ,AUSTIN PHONE EX 2~4131 SAN MARCOS. TEXAS 4/12/66 I speak as only one businessman, but after contacting most of the retail businesses in town, I believe that what I and the fOllowing merchants have to say fairly represents the feeling of the business community. We wish to make it clear that we are doing this not at the request of the Aquarena, but rather for San Marcos and our own interests. ~ If those motives are selfish, then we are selfish. Many communities are making all out efforts to attract new industry, just as San harcos has and is doing at the present time. But also, like many other cities, we are apt to take our already existing industries for granted. This, I believe is what most of us have been guilty of in the caae of Aquarena, our largest commercial industry. I asked for and received permission to examine Aquarena books, ~nd I state that any figures given by me or the gentlemen following/~re accurate. Each year a minimum of $3,000 is being spent on the maintenance of the lake itself. Due to the rapid growth of aquatic plants it is ne cessary to conduct a continuous plant control program. This is accomplished by both hand-cutting and the use of a custo built cutter boat. If Spring Lake is opened to skin divers, ~~~ and let me make myself clear on this point. Once in the ~e there is no way of ##j#~ controlling their movements, and t#IJI##II.#if'l!lillltm#llmtl will in a matter of days take over the entire lake, according to their past performances. If the Aquareaa is unable to use the lake for their boat rides, the major source of income will be cut off and it is my opinion the Aquarena as we know it now will j###jW~ soon cease to exist. They will, of course, quit maintaining Spring Lake and in a matter of three to six months the lake will resemble the marsh bordering the seventh hole on the golf course, unfit for skin diving or anything else. Ij#~#i#### iIUIt###llli####lIlM###I/.;mll,~'tINMWNJ##ttl#"i!#iJ;#m##JllJtll,m###lliM###m#. ~#*i#j~The main attraction of the Aquarena is now, as it has been from the be~ning, the glass bottom boats; it is the one unique attraction that W~ over 400,000 ###~###~ tourists to San Hlrcos last year. I again wiSh to emphasize,after a close study of the Aquarena's books, it will he economically impossible for them to continue to operat. in the blaCk, if the main attraction is ~~*Mj ended. Ipersonally do very little business with the Aquarena, but many of the people that work there are good and highly valued customers, and if the Aqurena is forced out of business, San Marcos would Buffer a major economic setback. Thank you, gentlemen for your courteous attention and I ask you to give businessmen that follow me the same conS_deration. JACK CLARK