Nags Head – Ted Dibiase the managing partner of Money, Inc., LLC, the financial advisory group retained to study economic opportunities in Dare County made his final presentation to the Board of High Commissioners last week. The presentation, titled “Growth Realized: Economic Enterprises in Dare” (G.R.E.E.D.) lasted over three hours and included a 15 minute intermission as well as a corporate chair massage for the Commissioners.
Mr. Dibiase’s recommendations were broken down into three “ strategic ambitions” which broadly covered the areas of the Outer Banks where he identified “excellent opportunities for exploitation”: Land, Sea and Hatteras.
The featured proposal for the “Land” portion of the plan was the construction the Lost Colony Experience Theme Park which would allow visitors to experience the rigors or early American colonization by stranding them with minimal supplies in Nags Head Woods. Mr. Dibiase said that popular television programs such as “Survivor” and “Man vs. Wild” lead his team to believe the attraction could bring hundreds of extra visitors to the County, particularly during the shoulder seasons.
High Commissioner Shade pointed out that the plan sounded very “tourist based”. Mr. Dibiase responded that this was “Level D” tourism whereas tourist activities normally associated with the Outer Banks such as fishing, sunbathing and binge drinking were categorized as “Level A” tourism activities.
Money, Inc., LLC’s proposal for Sea-Based economic growth included having the Public Relations Office post locations of sunken ships from the Spanish Silver Fleet on Reddit, Pinterest and Craig’s List. Dare County would create an “Office of Treasure Hunters” and sell licenses to those coming to find the offshore fortune. Mr. Dibiase expected to see a tangential economic boom in the dive store industry. Objections from High Commissioner Loveseat that the Spanish Silver Fleet never sailed near the Outer Banks were waved off by Mr. Dibiase as a “technicality.”
Mr. Dibiase’s most controversial proposal involved Hatteras Island, specifically Cape Point. Based on his staff’s calculations, Cape Point reaches far enough into international waters to avoid falling under the jurisdiction of the United States government. As such, it would be “technically legal” for Dare County to begin a counterfeiting operation on the easternmost tip of Cape Point and print their own money.
“The positive economic impact of being able to churn out your own currency cannot be overstated,” Dibiase said in his closing remarks. “With proper wealth management strategies, every resident in Dare County could be a millionaire within 8 to 16 months.”
Dare County Highest Commissioner Rooster Crowcall told Mr. Dibiase he would need time to study the proposal further but said that at first blush “G.R.E.E.D. sounds good.”
I’ve been thinking seriously about leaving the OBX after 42 years, but this is far too exciting to miss. I like the counterfeiting at Cape Point, those three bird nests have never produced so much as one red cent for the economy and closed my favorite mullet hole. I’ve been P’o’d about that every day for years. Since the Point does reach out far into the Atlantic, I don’t see any reason not to build a few casinos in The Hook. I’m sure some of those funds could be diverted to nourish the Buxton beaches for the Motel owners, and a more determined examination of the Croatanoketuck Tribes latrines. A certain win-win.