Future
unclear for proposed UFO theme park in Roswell Tim
Korte
Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE,
N.M. - For now, plans for a proposed UFO-themed amusement park in Roswell have
been sucked into a black hole.
The project is going nowhere after state officials
withdrew a $245,000 legislative appropriation intended for initial planning, saying
that the outlay would have violated New Mexico's anti-donation clause. Under
state law, New Mexico cannot donate to private individuals or entities. The
money had been designated for Roswell city government. But because city officials
never intended to run the park, the state Department of Finance and Administration
determined the appropriation was illegal. "We
were headed down the road and DFA told us we couldn't go there," City Manager
John Capps said Wednesday. "The money is not necessarily lost, but as appropriated
it could not be used for the purpose we intended." Capps
said the city might ask lawmakers for another appropriation next year, but that
decision would have to be made by city councilors. City
officials have been looking for ways to boost tourism from the town's ties to
the Roswell Incident, a supposed UFO crash on an area ranch in 1947. Military
officials later said recovered debris came from a weather balloon. Mayor
Sam LaGrone said city officials still support the UFO theme park, but Capps said
it cannot move forward unless a private investor such as an amusement park company
shows interest. "We
hope to demonstrate the feasibility of the project and use that to entice private
investment," he said. A
Florida man who initially pitched the UFO amusement park concept to city leaders
three years ago said he plans to pursue the project through private financing
as well. Bryan
Temmer of Land O' Lakes, Fla., said he also feels entitled to some kind of royalty
payment if the park is built, since he presented the idea for what he calls the
Alien Apex Resort. Like
city officials, Temmer hopes private investors will surface. "I
have prospects but it's like knocking on doors, selling insurance," he said.
"It depends on what their mood is. I just know I'm not going to quit." Capps
disputed Temmer's intellectual property claim, saying the city isn't committed
to Temmer's concept. "If
we do find a private operator to come in, they may adopt a different theme or
a different name," Capps said. If
the project continues, the park could open as early as 2012.
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