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Port Arthur City Council members called for transparency from a developer looking to bring a water park and other projects to Pleasure Island.

Several council members also took responsibility for the delay in working with Selim Kiralp, who is looking to develop two marina buildings as well as bring a water park to the Island. 

The delays, Councilwoman Tiffany Hamilton Everfield said, occurred when the city went out for Request For Proposals on the former Port Arthur Yacht Club land which includes two buildings. Selim Kiralp LLC Investments was awarded the bid but late last year the city rejected the bids and solicited RFP’s again after Yacht Club members said they weren’t notified about the RFPs. 

The Yacht Club had leased the property from the city for more than 50 years. 

Another issue that dragged the process out is the fact the city was then working under a different city attorney with Kiralp. The city now has a new city attorney Roxann Pais Cotroneo who has spoken several times with the developer, she said.

Kiralp at first opted not to divulge information on his plans because he is worried about ongoing negotiations.

The buildings at the marina can be reserved for events and gatherings such as birthday parties, business meetings. Port Arthur residents, city employees and first responders will have discounted rates.

An engineer from Port Arthur has been tasked with the engineering of the buildings. He expects this to occur in about a week.

“After all, the city of Port Arthur has a new attorney. I and my legal team had conversations face to face and on the phone as recently as yesterday, too, and both attorneys already started exchanging terms and document,” Kiralp said. 

“It is everybody’s goal that we all want to work together and get things done. It is true that we had some challenges in the past, but with the new city attorney being in the office, we are opening a new page and are ready to keep moving forward.”

At his attorney’s recommendation, Kiralp said he would not take questions on the project from the media as the negotiations are confidential.

“As much as we understand their effort, we would like to let the media know that in accordance with our current company policies implemented two years ago, we have temporarily suspended our interviews,” he said. 

“So please, media, do not contact us until either one of the RFPs has been approved and signed by both parties and become public.”

Several council members were not pleased with the lack of basic information on the major projects planned for the Island.

Councilman Harold Doucet said the information he heard from Kiralp at Tuesday’s council meeting was no different than what he heard several years ago. 

“What you have to understand is this transparency in government, also, we have a requirement,” Doucet said. 

“That requirement is to know what’s going on and what’s projected.  So you said you want to do business and understand the privacy portion of it, but at the same time, we answer to the citizens. Citizens ask questions.”

Kiralp said he submitted the RFP’s with the pertinent information to the city and only two pages were confidential. 

“Other than that, you mentioned the RFP being year ’22,” Kiralp said. “I approached the city with these ideas two years before that, and after the RFP was awarded the first one for the land, we made it for a contract, a draft contract.

“We didn’t get it for months, maybe years, so we went a step forward and prepared our drafts, sent it to the city, and we have got no response by them.” 

Kiralp went on to say the first contract he received from the city was at the end of February, and the city attorney changed in March. Then there was an interim attorney during that time. 

“So now the city has a new attorney, and we’re still here ready to move forward with the discussions,” he said.

Attorney Cotroneo said she has been working with Kiralp’s attorney  and documents for the project should be available this week with a 60-day window on future parts of the project.