Texas Scorecard By Robert Montoya and Ross Kecseg September 18, 2019
Programmatic review shows that after a decade, and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars spent, only the design phase has been completed. A programmatic review shows Panther Island, the real estate development boondoggle headed by the son of a congresswoman, has cost taxpayers over $383 million—with only its design phase finished.
Panther Island, conceived in 2003, seeks to reroute the Trinity River via a 1.5 mile bypass—and redevelop prime real estate—all under the guise of flood control. The Trinity River Vision Authority, headed by Congresswoman Kay Granger’s son, J.D. Granger, was the entity created to oversee coordination of the bypass channel, recreational amenities, and land redevelopment.
The project involves the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant Regional Water District, Texas Department of Transportation, Tarrant County, the federal government, and Granger’s Trinity River Vision Authority.
The project has been plagued with problems, delays, and cost overruns. It was originally estimated to cost $435 million, but that estimate has since ballooned, and taxpayers are now being asked to shell out over $1.168 billion. The exact price tag is still unknown as no construction aspect of the complicated project has been completed, according to TRVA documents. The Trump administration pulled all federal funding last year, putting completion at risk.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/metroplex/panther-island-review-no-construction-completed/
