Mayor Sheckler Brings Back Gifts And Investors From China
by Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler recently presented to the City Council gifts that were given him during a trip to China late last fall.
But the mayor brought home a lot more than just gifts and a slide show of his travels in this ancient, now-booming country.
A multimillion-dollar development along Pacific Highway South backed by Chinese investors – agreed to during Sheckler’s highly productive trip – is now in the planning and permitting stage.
Ground breaking and the start of construction are expected to take place this summer if preliminary activity continues at its current pace.
Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler with students in China.
The development, which will feature a hotel and restaurant and possibly retail space, will be located at the old state vehicle emissions testing site on the east side of Pac Highway not far north of Kent-Des Moines Road.
While in China, Sheckler also laid the foundation for an exchange program between Chinese community college students and students at Highline Community College.
And now there is the promise of even more. He reported at the Feb. 11 City Council meeting that representatives of business investors in China and Russia, with billions of dollars to invest, “are very interested in Des Moines.”
“The word’s out” about Des Moines – and the marina. “The word’s definitely out there,” Sheckler said. “They’re saying, ‘Where have you been?’ People are discovering that this (waterfront city) is a jewel. It’s very exciting.”
Sheckler began planning his China trip (Nov. 13-22) two years ago, not long after the prospect of developing a sister-city relationship with Changle, a coastal city in the Suzhou province of South China, was first discussed.
The Mayor does the classic politician pose with his Chinese hosts.
After corresponding with Changle Mayor Lin Wengang, Lin invited Sheckler to meet with him there. Sheckler was accompanied by Des Moines investor Matt Chan, who plans to build the Watercrossing development on the southeast side of the Pac Highway-South 216th St. intersection.
“I was there to visit him” and discuss a sister-city relationship, Sheckler noted. But he also went to China with plans to pursue an exchange-student arrangement and “to develop interest in investment in Des Moines.”
Even before he was “warmly received” by Lin and Deputy Mayor Lin Jian Xiu – to whom he presented gifts paid for by himself, as well as accepted their gifts – Sheckler had met with Zedong Ye, a property developer, and Mr. Zhang, an industrialist. Both had visited Des Moines and Tacoma last summer and liked the Waterland city.
Sheckler poses in front of a large Noah's Ark statue.
Ye and Zhang had been told in advance that Sheckler and the Des Moines City Council are “very progressive in economic development” and wanted to meet with him.
In their culture, the initial meeting often determines whether a deal will be agreed to, and their cordial relationship at this dinner resulted in a green light for the Des Moines project. An advance team already in Des Moines was told to begin the pre-application process with the city, and the hotel project has been moving forward since then.
“I went over there to meet the mayor of Changle and to meet with others to get development going.” Mission accomplished.
Establishing a sister city relationship, according to custom, will take time, but the process has now begun. Discussions are in progress for an exchange student program in Des Moines. And ground breaking for the hotel is just a few months away.
That’s a pretty big long-term payoff for the city – which paid none of Sheckler’s expenses. He covered his round trip to Beijing and his hosts covered some of his expenses in China.
Photo of Mt. Rainier and Des Moines by Del Rivero.
“But the key thing is the city didn’t have to pay for it. What I did on my own time and my own dime is my own business,” Shecker said, recalling that “certain naysayers” in the community criticized the cash-strapped city during the budget-setting process last fall for allegedly paying for his China trip.
He added, “The fact is, the city is the beneficiary, but the trip didn’t cost them a penny.”
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This is great news for the city. Cleaning up the Pac Hiway corridor-new construction-money for the city-no down side?
But wait…I remember just a few years ago when the city was all a buzz with the plans for a Senior Housing project-cleaning up the trailor parks (by removing them) and building several high rise structures in that general area. This was also from Chinese investors. The city even signed agreements for reduced fees (permits and such) and reduced taxes for these projects.
Now I realize that the economy has tanked and many many projects were shelved or abandoned, but it seems that this Pac Ridge area and the chinese are an old old story with no ending (not a happy or sad-but a never ending story) just many empty statements and promises.
I would take take this at face value…all show and no go…
Greg, your incessant negativity will never serve anyone. It is exactly that tiresome perspective that this city needs to rid itself of. We need to focus on moving forward. Will there be some bumps? Yes. Will it be perfect? No. But it needs to BE or we dry on the vine as we have been. I know you are capable of contributing more than nay-saying and “it’ll never work” idioms. Bring the good stuff, Greg. You’re better than that, buddy!!
Congrats and thanks to our Mayor for investing himself in trying to make our city become what it CAN be!!
A big hat tip and job well done to Mayor Bob Sheckler! Thank you! Some very exciting out of the box thinking, organizing and planning. I know to a large degree I have cast myself as one of the nay- sayers within this blog, but credit needs to be given where credit is do and this “average” guy appreciates what the mayor has done.
Indeed I will take that one step further and say these are the types of ventures the city should be spending its limited resources on. “Real” economic development so we can get to point later where the city can afford and can spend money on less tangible but worthy community events. I would even support the city reimbursing the mayor for his personal costs of this trip (again thank you mayor!). I am guessing reimbursement is doubtful knowing some of the flat earth types on the council, perhaps not even legal, but I would encourage them to consider springing for those expenses if a follow-up trip is deemed necessary.
To Greg, I have to agreed with Dave on this one. The proof will always be in the pudding but if you don’t at least try the recipe out you’ll never know.
Who paid for the trip? Sheckler doesn’t have a job, other than Mayor of Des Moines which nets him less than $15,000 per year. His wife is a paralegal for the City Attorney, and probably makes ~$75K. His “investments” took the same hit the rest of ours did. A trip to China, with 4 star hotel and perks is probably in the $30 – $40,000 range. He doesn’t have that kind of money. Did his friend Matt Chan pay for it, in hopes his investment will pay off in the form of tax breaks for his Waterview Crossing plan? Show us the travel statements and let us see how cheaply you sold Des Moines for YOUR personal gain. Nice trinkets, by the way.
I think that Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity Training is in order for you…you have just managed to offend an entire nation. Those “trinkets” as you so rudely called them were very sincere gifts of appreciation and are a large part of traditional Chinese culture. They don’t just give gifts to anyone for anything. They are a showing of respect and friendship which is not lost to the Chinese culture. Educate yourself!
Mr Fox–What do YOU suggest can be done to raise the Sprits of Des Moines???
Because of the loss of jobs, present recession, we have people unable to shop, pay property taxes, business failing—not only in Des Moines but all over the state and nation.
Your message is accepted regarding all reasons why we shouldn’t do this and that but WHAT DO YOU THINK be done. How many hours of your time do you give to try to make things better for Des Moines????
I gladly gave many hours of my time and money to create a parade last year as many volunteers did… What did you do for Des Moines last year??
We won’t have a Parade this year. But what do you suggeest volunteers and people like you and I can do to give Des Moines a lift during these trying times?
The Mayor is at least trying and is willing to give effort and support to making Des Moines a good place to live.
I think the Mayor and the City Council are doing a TERRIFIC job dealing with all the problems that have no answer and trying to do their best to help Des Moines.
Kudos for the Mayor. As he says in his own words though, “My dime is my business”. I hope this isn’t personal gain through political contacts.