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    Unfinished Project Poses Danger Save Email Print
    Bellevue water resort "...a disaster waiting to happen"
    Posted: 1:28 AM Aug 28, 2008
    Last Updated: 1:28 AM Aug 28, 2008
    Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

    A | A | A

    The unfinished Great Adventures water resort in Bellevue could be the last adventure for curious kids. It alarms a building official to find so many dangers on the unsecured site.

    "It's a disaster waiting to happen.” That's Bellevue building official Steve Carmichael's assessment of the property at Highway 370 and Hillcrest. There's a pit hidden by weeds and a steel ladder dangling on the roof. "Good five foot of water.” And the unintended moat filled with rainwater.

    “It's too dangerous of a situation to allow someone to trespass on this property to fall in and die," says Carmichael. In the back, heavy concrete panels lean against the building wall. City code inspectors are concerned about what might happen if those panels start to fall into the hotel building and an occupied room.

    Besides the dangers, neighbors don't like the undone look. Dee Morgan lives in the apartments for seniors across the street. "Eyesore and safety and then during the hot summer, of course the mosquitoes."

    Six weeks ago, the city warned the resort owner to drain and clean the site, but the 15-day notice had been ignored until now. “It caught us by surprise when we were notified by the owner this morning that there was a letter sent from the city to him,” says project coordinator Sam Gregg.

    Still owed millions of dollars, the contractor who walked off the job months ago returned to the project to pump stagnant water and secure the site. “We don't want to be a part of anything that could be a danger or unsafe," says Gregg.

    Code inspectors will be watching. “The plan for the construction company is board up all entry ways accessible to a kid or anybody else,” says Bellevue Police Sgt. Larry Lampman.

    If the site isn't made safe and secure, the city will do the job as a last resort. Kendall Hospitality owns the unfinished water resort and refused comment.

    The project builder tells Six On Your Side that he hopes the owner can get financing in the next month to finish the indoor water park.

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    Posted by: jack on Aug 29, 2008 at 01:21 AM
    I don't know why the city's worried about this they can't even finish their own projects! AKA: the Wilson Concrete Site

    Posted by: Brian on Aug 28, 2008 at 04:48 PM
    are you kidding me ~ you want choice and you can't choose to educate your kids not to trespass on other's property. Tax dollars ~ public record ~ not a dime has been paid that I can find ~ what are you looking at? Law Suits ~ again ~ public record and none available for even ONE contractor on this project. Some wanna be big time developer? Perhaps ~ remember folks "alleged" Biff~ put your money where your mouth is. The ENTIRE financial community has changed across the united states and banks backed out of a lot of deals out there ~ all throughout the community. Sure glad you are so smart and so uneducated on your facts.

    Posted by: to Jane on Aug 28, 2008 at 03:31 PM
    I did Google Great Adventures and I found their website but couldn't find a "comments" page or a link to one. Maybe they removed it after this recent rash of bad publicity.

    Posted by: RM on Aug 28, 2008 at 02:54 PM
    Hey Kyle kids will be kids they don't always think as adults. I suppose that as you were growing up you never did anything you were not suppose to do. An abandon property is almost like a playground to some children its abandon and little chance of getting caught if you go there.

    Posted by: Kyle on Aug 28, 2008 at 12:16 PM
    Okay, I understand the concern that the project isn't finished, but why is there cause for concern for KIDS? Shouldn't they know not to trespass on construction sites? (cough parents cough)

    Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:46 AM
    For kids and the parents who need to educate their kids... DO NOT TRESPASS. Easy solution.

    Posted by: Biff on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:12 AM
    I'm getting tired of these stories in which companies are leaving their projects unfinished, whether they be houses, hotels, or water resorts. Common sense, people - don't start something you can't finish.

    Posted by: Doug on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:05 AM
    Does anyone seriously think this money pit will ever get completed? He's in bankruptcy. He lost his franchise (used to be a Day's Inn). He's being sued by every contractor who's ever worked on the project. Didn't the city help finance this fiasco? How much money are the citizens of Bellevue going to have to pony up?

    Posted by: Jane on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:01 AM
    They should raze the hotel while they're at it - Google up Great Adventures and you'll find comments from folks who stayed in that disgusting hovel.

    Posted by: Nicole on Aug 28, 2008 at 08:41 AM
    Does anybody want to even patronize a water park that has an owner that cuts corners? I wouldn't feel safe in that place.

    Posted by: AJ on Aug 28, 2008 at 08:30 AM
    I often wonder what was going on! I really was looking forward to this opening up. Well safety is first and thanks Six Online for making me aware on what's going in my community.

    Posted by: chris on Aug 28, 2008 at 07:53 AM
    Tonya, at least get the story straight. The hotel owner has been sued (no resolution yet) but the reason that the project has stagnated is that Team Bank pulled the financing out from under the owners. Yes, the project is at least a year behind and as a tax payer I have to wonder what criteria the City Council used to give this guy TIF financing. It is not the first time this hotel has failed to finish this project on schedule. Now thanks to the hotel project and the council, the area truly IS blighted. Way to go Bellevue City Council, you backed the wrong guy again. I bet the Baseball village never happens either and costs the tax payers even more money.

    Posted by: Tonya on Aug 28, 2008 at 01:37 AM
    He's never going to finish the project. This has been going on forever. There's even a sign outside that says when it is supposed to open, and it has yet to open. TAKE DOWN THE SIGN! The real reason it was never finished was because the owner had one company draw up plans for the waterpark and then he took the plans to another builder who could do it for cheaper. I believe he was sued because the plans were designed by the first company and he didn't pay them/decided to go with someone else. He sounds like a shady person, and obviously doesn't care about the safety of others if he ignored the letter. Kudos to the contractor who pumped out the water for free! At least someone cares about the safety of others, not just money!