6/27/16
by News Department on 06/27/16Park Development...
House lawmakers are reviving the idea of allowing private developers to build amenities like resort lodges, marinas and golf courses in selected state parks.
A bill approved by a House committee last week would create a state public-private partnership board to vet and approve proposals from private companies to do state park projects.
The Tourism and Recreational Development Committee approved the bill by a 22-4 vote. However, several statewide environmental groups criticized the legislation as being harmful to the parks and not in the public interest, stating that the bill is being fast-tracked as part of the state budget process.
The measure would give private firms the ability to do projects that the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can’t afford to build.
This idea has been debated on and off in Harrisburg since the 1990s.
