Question

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The question that nobody is asking

Amidst all the discussion about the bill before the South Carolina Legislature to give Sembler Company $100+ MILLION in incentives paid for by taxpayers to build a 1.5 MILLION SQ. FT. MEGA shopping mall, nobody is asking:

Why not locate it on I-95 near the intersection with US 17 in Hardeeville?

1. The proposed location is at US 278 and SC 170 at one of the busiest intersections in the area--8 MILES FROM I-95.
Traffic to and from this HUGE traffic generator will permanently gridlock an area that is already gridlocked during peak tourist season.

2. The proposed location is in the headwaters of the Okatie, an environmentally-sensitive estuary, unique to the South Carolina coast. Stormwater runoff from the mall (even CLEAN stormwater runoff) will mean the END of shrimp, crabs, and oysters in the Okatie. (http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/pub/seascience/bluecrab.html).

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If this mall will be the regional attraction that its proponents say that it will be, then why make patrons coming from all over drive 8 MILES FROM I-95, when it could be located ON I-95 at US 17?

It makes one wonder about the private planners at Sembler and the government planners in Hardeeville.

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Now there's an oxymoron for you:

Hardeeville planners!

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