The project is a theme park/educational center that would be built on an 82-acre piece of land adjacent to Lompoc's Allan Hancock College campus. With its proximity to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Blaisdell said the center would include a rocket launch viewing facility, a space museum, research center, a hotel, restaurant, health club, retail space, and other attractions that would bring in much needed money to the city.
However, City Council members nixed the one-year exclusive negotiation agreement on Nov. 17 for what they said was a lack of specific plans for the $460 million project and how it would be funded.
Blaisdell continues to tout the project as an opportunity to bring in thousands of jobs and grow the city's tax base.
City Manager Patrick Wiemiller told the Sun that he'd be willing to reconsider the plan but insists that Blaisdell bring the necessary information. Specifically, he said, the city needs three things: a plan, a demonstration of financial resources needed to execute the plan, and a team "that has the adequate experience to put it together."
"We still remain open to someone who would bring forth a comprehensive plan," Wiemiller said. "After the last time around, I just decided that rather than have the land sitting there idle with no plan for it, I thought it would be worthwhile to develop a proposal so that the council has options."
Wiemiller said he has his own plans for the space. He isn't ready yet to disclose the details but he said it'll have a revenue model and be consistent with the land use"which is for education and/or recreational purposes.
Blaisdell told the Sun that she doesn't want to return to Lompoc under the city's present conditions and will vigorously address alternative opportunities until the city corrects its action. She said that she is responding to requests from the community to return with her project.
But there are trust issues on both sides. Blaisdell said she would want the city to reconsider only if it removed the notice of default issued to her in September 2015 and provide a formal letter proving that the city has the ability "to engage in a transparent and fair process," she said.
In June, the city received a Brown Act warning from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney following complaints that it discussed its position of the exclusive negotiation agreement behind closed doors, when the discussion should have been held in public.
Blaisdell added that this time she secured a $150 million investment from an "American CEO," but is reluctant to provide details unless the notice of default is removed.
Even then, she's reluctant to restart the process after providing "hundreds of thousands of dollars," including a $25,000 fee to the city, to have the proposal evaluated.
