The widely reported $120 margarita at the San Ysidro ranch got me thinking again about Ty Warner's effect on the quality of life in Santa Barbara. Walking by Ty Warner's various sea-front properties in Montecito last spring, I witnessed an army of laborers building, renovating, beautifying. Some might point out how many jobs "Ty" is creating, how much money he's pumping into the local economy (though I wonder how much of the reported hundreds of million actually stays in the local economy and how much goes to imported luxury items and materials). But to me, the significant fact is that so much capital and so much human labor, skilled and unskilled, lower class and lower middle class, is being devoted to the exclusive benefit of rich people.
Consider the local Warner properties, not including his multi-lot bluff-top estate, and not including the cost of actual purchase, only the renovation cost:
- Biltmore Hotel, recently renovated for a cool $240 million (for 233 rooms). Rooms "start at $550" a night.
- San Ysidro Ranch, recently renovated for $130 million (for 40 cottages and suites), plus an additional $25 million for the Stonehouse restaurant. Accommodations available for $800-$4,000 a night.
- Coral Casino, currently completing a $35 million renovation. Enrollment fees more than $20,000, plus monthly and other fees.
- Montecito Country Club, renovation plans in the works, with Jack Nicklaus designing the golf course. Membership, $10,000 plus fees.
- Sandpiper Golf Course, $124-$144 for a round of golf.
- Rancho San Marcos, currently a relative upper-middle-class bargain at $65-$85 for a round of golf, though changes are expected.
Ty Warner epitomizes the worst of contemporary capitalism. He makes a fortune selling frivolous beanie babies to kids and crazed collectors, then invests that fortune in luxurious playpens for the rich and super-rich. His idea of public spirit, his contribution to making the world a better place, begins with personal aesthetics and ends with public relations, little more than individual aggrandizement with an impoverished sense of larger purpose.
16 comments:
Well, there is _some_ benefit to the community in the form of building permits and property taxes... right?
Well that is true to some extent. In fact, Ty Warner is personally in the top 5 of all property tax payers, which includes businesses and corporations.
What a huge stinking vat of sour grapes!!! And of course all of your socialist/communist propensities have done so much for so many when put into practice....
you also forgot to take into account the amount of money the bed tax at the local hotels bring in. And do you know his exact charitable donations are? If you dont know the exact amount isnt this kind of a unfounded attack you already didnt take into account the tax benefits to local coffers it dosent seem like you really researched this very well at all. Perhaps you should do that next time before you blog as it is you just come off looking like a ill informed person who is angry others are wealthy.
I disagree with Big Table. I work at the Biltmore and it's the best, most competent classy management I've ever worked for. It's a pleasure to work there and part of the pleasure is the beauty of the surroundings
By all reposts, Warner is a great employer. The original issue was how many locals benefit by Warner's actions, charitable or otherwise. I think the concern expressed has some foundation, even if the specific focus is a bit presumptuous.
Warner's personal aesthetic is not traditional Santa Barbara, but 'over the top' and aristocratic in a European sense, not Californio, nor the more refined unpretentious hedonism of latter day SB.
The way this plays out in the public space is the Butterfly Beach steps controversy, where the concern of local planning volunteers was that the Warner team plan to put a brick walkway across the street (making it easy for Biltmore guests to find their way to the beach) and make the steps match the Biltmore design book, would confuse the public which would also use this access.
The resulting manipulation of the process to portray Warner and his team as persecuted by an irrational process threatens to upend the very longstanding mechanisms by which SB has come to have its design charm.
The suggestion that a sign designating public access ( the solution that has been implemented) could not be made at the time the concern was brought up because the Warner team presented this design in a timing which tied the hands of the review board.
And in fact, when you go look at the work done so far, the result does make the beach access look like it is part of the Biltmore.
Warner is investing a lot, and it will benefit the community in various ways, but I think the question of what trade-offs are being made by the community deserves more open, and detached discussion. Calling the original poster 'socialist' for having a concern for the rest of the community suggests a less encompassing definition of self interest, at the least. The commons, including the law, the government, and the shared resources of air land etc. is what makes a market, and thus a Warner, possible. Disrespect of the commons is implicit in the "the rich should be able to do what they want" attitude.
The irony is that it was rich aesthetically trained people who did the work required to set up the zoning and ABR back in the early 20th century. Their idea of being wealthy was driven by a sense of responsibility to the community, not self aggrandizement. Pearl Chase didn't donate to put her name on a building, but to get work done. There was no financial benefit to speak of until the 90's. It was all aesthetic up till the beginning of the real estate boom.
If the looming shortfall in revenues for both the city and county are to be addressed, it will be in creating more high paying ( as opposed to retail or yard and maid service) jobs here, not building mansions, clubs or restaurants. This makes the tax money aspect of how the community benefits from Warner's actions something of a red herring.
I think RP makes some good points. Santa Barbara is at risk of becoming (as the News-Press of old coined) a "geriatric ghetto," where the only people who live here will be the wealthy and the people who serve them. In that sense, Ty is not really helping all that much. Santa Barbara needs to focus on getting and keeping a middle class.
And how much do you want to bet Anonymous (8:05 AM and 11:38 AM) are middle class conservatives? They always vigorously defend the wealthy and vote against their own economic interests in the process. Ty isn't looking out for you, but Big Table is.
Link еxchange іs nothing else hοwevеr it іѕ simplу plаcing thе other pеrson's blog link on your page at proper place and other person will also do same for you.
http://www.atlantagunforum.com/entry.php?82221-Buying-a-Boom-Truck
Feel free to surf my web blog ; utility trucks
Grеetings. I am wondeгing if you'd be interested in doing a website link exchange? I see your blog: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3183247503103259803&postID=2659880429068961260 and my blog are primarily based around the same topic. I'd lоve tо swаp linκѕ οr perhaps guest аuthor a аrticle foг
you. Heгe iѕ my peгѕonal е-mail: claudelеw@aol.
com. Maκe suгe yοu contact mе
if уou're even remotely interested. Many thanks.
http://myanimelist.net/profile/i80equipment
Feel free to surf my website ; Bucket Trucks For Sale
If you wаnt to obtаіn much from this
paragraph then you have to apply these strategieѕ to уour
won ωeb sitе.
Heгe is mу blоg post; bucket truck sales
Also see my site - bucket truck
Тhankѕ for sharing ѕuch a nicе
thinkіng, paragraph is pleasant, thats whу i have reаԁ it completеly
mу ωеb page; tens
I ωаs recommended this wеb
site by my cousin. Ι'm not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thanks!
my weblog: Locateabuckettruck.com
my webpage - bucket trucks for sale
Yеsterԁay, whіle I was аt ωork, my
ѕiѕter stοle my apple ipaԁ anԁ tested tο sее if it can suгѵiѵe a
30 foot drop, just so shе can be a youtubе sensаtion.
My іPaԁ іs noω bгoken anԁ she haѕ 83 νiеωs.
I knоw this iѕ cοmpletely off topic but I had
tо shаre іt wіth sоmeonе!
Also vіsit my webpage; tens unit hire
What's up colleagues, its impressive piece of writing regarding cultureand entirely defined, keep it up all the time.
Look at my weblog ... irving tx taxi
I read thiѕ post completеly conceгning the comparison of most гecеnt and pгeѵious
technοlogіes, it's amazing article.
My web site; diamondlinks review
I liκе the helpful infoгmation уou ρrovіde in your articles.
I'll bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
my blog: texas real estate
Post a Comment