Saturday, October 20, 2007, Governor Sonny Purdue will visit Mary Alice Park on Lake Lanier in Cumming, Forsyth County to hold a press conference regarding the lawsuit over the draining of Lake Lanier. The State of Georgia has filed a court order in the Middle District of Florida Federal Court.
According to local website Cumminghome.com, Lt Governor Casey Cagle, issued this statement today: “I commend Governor Perdue for taking the necessary steps to protect our drinking water and we urge the court to consider the emergency nature of this situation and act swiftly. Georgians can be confident that we will not stand by while our lakes are drained of water. Protecting the citizens of our state far outweighs protecting mussels and sturgeon."
In other news, Mary Alice Park, where this press conference is to be held, is also being considered for a new $140 million Great Wolf Resort, complete with an upscale hotel with anywhere from 400 to 600 rooms, conference center and weather-immune Indoor Water Park. This resort could bring a lot of additional revenue to Forsyth County. According to Appen Newspapers, Georgia Tech recently completed a study determining a Great Wolf Lodge Resort could bring about $15 million to Forsyth County and about $9 million to the school system in the next 10 years. The decision to build could be impacted by the drought and current level of Lake Lanier.
