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Former Michigan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Rodney Lockwood, Jr., on efforts to buy the island of Belle Isle to create an independent commonwealth wi...
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-- -- -- All right -- the opportunity to live -- -- premarket utopia complete with its own currency and government.
Would you do it we would just get your chance one developer is proposing a radical revolutionary plan.
To create the ultimate capitalist paradise Rodney -- is a principal at Lockwood development.
And you're looking at an Iowa and that is near Detroit's.
-- you wanna -- -- and create this utopia.
What tax policy be like that's what I care about.
Well attack basic text policy is don't text anything you want to encourage.
So there be no tax and labor income no tax.
Earned their investment income.
That taxes would be used to we raised by a modest consumption tax and that -- -- You know -- it sounds like a fantasy but this is a real plan you're looking at buying Belle island for one billion dollars it is a 983.
Acre island located off Detroit.
It was purchased by Detroit in 187 -- nine by 200000.
Dollars.
The reason why you think that that this could actually happen is because Detroit of course is in dire financial straits and are sort of looking for anything they can do.
To write the books how seriously are they taking what are the odds that you think you can get this time.
Well.
Considering all the interest and the immediate drug coverage in the past -- -- all the discussion I think the odds are getting a much better.
I think has -- I think that can happen.
-- it would be like Puerto Rico its own independent entity.
Yeah renounce your citizenship -- Is that something that would have to be done here.
No actually.
What I'm proposing an in this book in which I've written that citizenship and -- renounce it was simply be an additional civilians and citizenship pre acquired.
-- -- -- So there there were defeated do that it's 300000 dollars have you had a lot of interest so far from people who will.
Either want to invest and or may be want to move.
Had some interest says say we -- book about one week ago just established a website.
Commonwealth of Belle -- -- com.
And -- getting a tremendous amount of interest people wanna be on the mail -- -- we are not taking citizen applications yet but I have had some people requesting it.
Do you think a billion dollars is the real price have you looked at the financing -- -- having started negotiating with the city op.
No the Citi currently is considering having to state take over -- as the as the park which it is right now.
The the numbers.
I have run numbers and they they seem to work well I think we can pay the billion with the property is worth.
Without this new political structure would be be far less.
So what there right now I mean there's the Detroit yacht club oh that's on a Jason on the what is actually -- -- right now what would you do with what's there.
Over right now down as a city park the Detroit yacht club is located on the islands.
The park as thought into disrepair -- less several years due to lack of money about a city.
So the state has proposed recently to take over the operation the park.
And and and then charge a modest -- -- its this idea that proposing is of course a much bigger idea.
I -- -- works haven't come take a look Rodney thanks for coming on the show good luck TO.
Not gonna ever -- yacht club on their Jersey I know that's the key point to you when you're trying to decide whether or not gonna participate in this I think there is -- yes yes he'll be okay noted a can -- good news alert.
