Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I see yet another article publicly pronouncing the large dollars heading into the Manteca coffers because of the upcoming Great Wolf hotel and waterpark. However, never is there a mention of the inability of any residents being able to access or enjoy those same amenities.  It is the residents surrounding the development that will really feel the pain of this entertainment center —  the horrible traffic, the slowing up of potential shoppers into the entire retail center that includes Costco and many others.  

Dollars...is that the only consideration given when approving new businesses, when residents can’t even use them??  You won’t be able to go down the water slides, or eat at any of the proposed restaurants, or even walk through their doors just to look at it.  In order to do so you have to buy a room at the absurd rates being compared to the New York City entertainment hub or Disneyland hotels.  And, even if you do decide to pay the $400/night rate, it still limits the number of guests per room that can access the park. 

The Bulletin has advertised the huge employment opportunities becoming available, even comparing it to the Oakwood Lake Water Slides.  But, those opportunities will be a full time, or even part time, but permanent year round employment unlike Oakwood that was always seasonal and would work with the local school summer schedules when hiring.  To selfishly bring something like this to our community and then tell us we can’t even use it, is not in the best interest of our residents but, only more money grabbing for the bank account.  Our streets are sadly in need of repair all over the city.  We need more police protection, fire protection, even teachers.  Every single school is busting at the seams. Yet, where has all the money from  the new housing developments south of the 120 Bypass gone?  There lies some continual big bucks that have not been allocated to local improvements what so ever that I can see. 

All the residents, the roads and businesses that need improved services have not seen anything from the big housing that have gone in or are going in.  If the city council continues to solicit big developments like Great Wolf that we cannot even use, then we should easily see huge improvements within the city from it.  But, I will bet that any funds derived from Great Wolf to the city will be used only to improve the immediate area of Great Wolf, which should be absorbed by them, not us.

Leanne Magincalda

Manteca