Chris you are correct concerning the property tax issue. HOWEVER to be able to sell / vend at Ocean Beach Park all food trucks WILL HAVE TO pay fees to be permitted to there which will create many new NEVER SEEN BEFORE revenue sources. The food trucks would serve as a draw to bring people to flock to Ocean Beach Park as you noted for the opportunities to eat usually good different varieties and types of foods all in one place while enjoying the great beach experience.

IMO food trucks are more of a negative to any town than a positive. They drive into town and while they admittedly usually have good food they pay little in property taxes like local restaurants have to and only employ maybe one or two people,. again unlike local restaurants.

HERE IS THE PROOF: Ocean Beach Park in New London, CT, is in a coastal flood zone and is vulnerable to flooding and storm surges due to its low-lying, shorefront location, with past events like the 1938 hurricane prompting major redevelopment and ongoing resilience efforts, notes SECOG (.gov), SECOG (.gov), and Connecticut Sea Grant. https://secogct.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/New-London_annex.pdf Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex for New London, Connecticut Other areas are Ocean Beach Park, Osprey Beach, Guthrie Beach, and Green Harbor Beach. These beaches become flooded and attacked by wave velocity during storms AND https://secogct.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/New-London-Annex-Approved.pdf#:~:text=New%20London%20since%20the%20majority%20of%20the,zones%20including%20Ocean%20Beach%20Park%2C%20Osprey%20Beach%2C. HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE ANNEX FOR THE CITY OF NEW LONDON: Several notable beaches are located within coastal flood zones including Ocean Beach Park. Ocean Beach are quite vulnerable to storm surge, As noted in Section 3.3.1, Stuart Avenue near the Ocean Beach parking lot experiences frequent flooding. THE OFFICIAL PROOF IS OCEAN BEACH PARK IS NOT THE PLACE FOR SAFE 24/7/365 HUMAN OCCUPANCY!

Jeff, I must agree. OBP is, and will always be just what it is.. A great beach in the warmer months. During the cold months, unfortunately few do care to venture down to the far south end of NL. when there are many other destinations available. Eg., exercise / workout facilities were great during the warm months, but couldn’t survive the cold months.

Mark the study being proposed isn't concern with the integrity of the land to support what is being proposed but rather the economics and feasibility of a change use. This is why I've tried to articulate there's a lot more to the process that must be considered before a feasibility study is even considered. Testing, geological Survey and alike should come first however it's another political process of putting the cart in front of the horse scenario. What I've tried to Express the current known and potential unknown limitations of the infrastructures of what is only a great beach. To imagine more than a beach is no more than a pipedream, with huge risks and will require very major capital investments as comparing what occurred in the City of San Francisco to a successful change of use of Ocean Beach Park in the City of New London is more than just questionable not just limited to just the few examples of deficiencies that have already been outlined previously beyond that the closest traffic control light is about over a mile away. It would be great for the beach to produce more revenue HOWEVER again it is only a great beach.

Mr. Suntup: If what you say is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, the Ocean Beach parking lot may indeed need shoring up before structures can be built on it. The study commission must evaluate the feasibility of shoring up the parking lot area at reasonable cost. The Marina District of San Francisco was wiped out in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and, in part, was rebuilt on ground containing huge amounts of structural debris and rubble. When the Northern California Earthquake erupted in 1989, the Marina District was hit hard, largely due to the engineering mistakes made in 1906. However, by and large, the Marina District has thrived since the 1906 Earthquake. For the record, my great uncle owned several concessions on Ocean Beach in 1938, He lost everything in the hurricane but still landed on his feet, up opening several grocery stores in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Mark your memories are shared of what Ocean Beach was decades ago HOWEVER WHAT the City Council and many others are NOT AWARE OF is many things that WILL RESTRICT most of the suggestions of a hospitality / hotel and some of your ideas is this ONE FACT: After the 1938 hurricane that wiped out all the "old Ocean Beach" buildings / dwelling is that most of NOT ALL of these ruins and debris were simply bulldozed toward the Cove and parking areas as bulk fill materials to create the level topographies that you see today thru out the entire Ocean Beach Park. So if simple Environmental and test holes were done the results will expose these unstable ground conditions which will prohibit without expensive remediation costs for any chances for the construction of an arena or a hotel. Also, Mark you are absolutely correct that the Casinos can NEVER cater to those who are seeking to enjoy the sands of a great beach.

The study group that New London hopes to commission will consider Mr. Suntup's wise views along with hundreds of others. There is no doubt that Ocean Beach is a spectacular property with glorious views of Long Island Sound and daily sunsets. To me, losing $700,000 over a six year period is not a great cost, given the recreational activities that the Beach provides to thousands of families in and around New London. Recreation is key to child development and adult sanity. When I was growing up years ago in Norwich and Jewett City, Ocean Beach was the place to go. It was a place where one could run in the white sand; swim in the salt water; dive into the 50-meter pool; play miniature golf; shoot arrows at targets; ride exciting amusement park rides; and eat much of the afternoon. Ocean Beach still retains some of its old glory, including its summer concert series and beautiful beach. My recommendations for upgrades: allow food cart vendors on the premises; build a very small arena for NBA Developmental League Basketball and local college basketball; expand the summer concert series; and host more religious and cultural festivals. The casinos cater to different patrons.

Richard the two examples for food service given was ONLY to exemplified as you noted from a high to low both in quality and pricing. As I furthered exampled as with free food and discount coupons the Casinos basically have a lock as a draw feature that Ocean Beach Park doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell to compete against even if my examples for food serving companies were different. HOWEVER, if like along I-95 in New Haven IF there was 10 to 20 different fee paying different food types of truck vendors that just maybe is the ONLY realistic answer for making Ocean Beach a food destination and if open later in the evening would also add as a better chances of a long term new revenue source with a very very small capital investment to create.

I find it interesting that Mr. Suntup chooses a very high end steak house (Ruth's Chris) and a bottom feeder (Red Lobster) as the "attractions"...first of all who would go to a Red Lobster here in New England for some previously frozen TV dinner style seafood? Secondly, you're right no one will go to a $200 a person steak house at the board walk...but...perhaps some good old fish and chips joints and tavern's might be an attraction that lures people in...the Casino is what it is and the people who frequent it will continue...there are many more of us that might like a variety of middle class dining and drinking establishments.