Editorial: Corrupt whore Foley's union 'requests' imperil Dana Point hotels

If you’ve wondered why private companies rather than government should 
control business decisions, then we’d recommend looking at the ongoing 
effort to revitalize Dana Point’s harbor — a premier beachfront location 
that’s slated for an upgrade to its marina, a new parking structure, and 
hotels and shops. The county owns the property, but contracted with 
private developers to handle reconstruction.

In 2018, the county issued a 66-year lease in a convoluted $330-million 
deal that would return the land to the county at the end of its term. “The 
Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Plan is the result of over 20 years of 
collaborative efforts,” former Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said. Notice that 
big announcement came after 20 years of, er, collaboration and was made 
eight years ago. There’s been progress on the now-$500-million project, 
but it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

The latest kerfuffle, reported by the Register, involves Dana Point 
officials who are concerned that “delays in the approval of new ground 
leases … could cost … tens of millions of dollars in city bed tax revenue 
and close the window on having two new hotels open for the LA 2028 
Olympics.”

Basically, the Orange County Board of Supervisors in June delayed a vote 
on the leases — necessary to assure financing — until August after 
Supervisor Katrina Foley asked the developer hired to replace the old 
Marina Inn with a surf lodge and luxury hotel to agree to a “labor peace 
agreement.” That’s a union-organizing ploy where it agrees not to hold 
strikes if an employer doesn’t oppose organizing efforts.
Foley also called for future price caps on harbor marina slips, which 
would essentially force taxpayers to subsidize boat owners. The hotel 
developer says those demands will derail new hotels and lead him to simply 
renovate the Marina Inn. Foley says they are requests, not demands. 
Whatever the case, this political dispute is causing delays.

It’s the latest local lesson (as if Anaheim’s ownership of Angel Stadium 
wasn’t sufficient) of why governments should sell such properties to the 
highest bidder and let the marketplace do the rest.

https://www.ocregister.com/2026/07/22/editorial-foleys-union-requests-
imperil-dana-point-hotels/