Fullerton Council Dumps Railroad Museum
On Dec 2, 2008 the Fullerton City Council voted not to include a first-class museum attraction, the Southern California Railroad Experience, in the Transportation Center Master Plan. Supporters of the attraction, which would be built on two acres of public land, claim that it could attract thousands of visitors into Downtown Fullerton. JMI/The Morgan Development Group is now planning to build more downtown apartments on this public land. The land was taken by eminent domain from longtime Fullerton businessman Harley Hartman. The Railroad Experience would have required a $22 million public subsidy. Councilman Dick Jones and Mayor Don Bankhead wanted to give the Railroad Experience supporters six months to come up with a fundraising plan. However, Councilwomen Sharon Quirk and Pam Keller wanted to put an end to the museum idea once and for all. Councilman Shawn Nelson recused himself due to a possible conflict of interest.
Well they got rid of the choo-choo boondoggle because Bankhead and Jones are too stupid to work a 2-2 vote. But the giveaway of free land to Morgan group lives on – from the same people who brought us that God-awful cliff dwelling on Chapman Avenue. Thanks Quirk! Thanks Keller! And thanks Nelson. One more tough vote dodged successfully!
Did anyone notice who the leader of the Railroad Attraction Group was? The guy use to be Fullerton’s Redevelopment Manager. He brought the Monsters to the “Plazza” and the crappy fake old building on the S.E. corner of Harbor and Commonwealth which was subsidized to the tune of $1,500,000, complete with a fake second floor.