08-20-2015, 11:44 AM
The ROI is pretty good if the region does not need to spend any money on construction, and receives lease payments as well as transit centre space.
And in this scenario there is really no risk of the public "being gouged" as the transit operations would be run by the region, the developer would just provide space for them. The region would receive transit facilities at zero construction cost, and also receive lease payments on the land.
The developer would have an opportunity to build residential, retail and office space, and make money from those. No monopolies or barriers to entry on those, other developers could do the same on other parcels of land.
And in this scenario there is really no risk of the public "being gouged" as the transit operations would be run by the region, the developer would just provide space for them. The region would receive transit facilities at zero construction cost, and also receive lease payments on the land.
The developer would have an opportunity to build residential, retail and office space, and make money from those. No monopolies or barriers to entry on those, other developers could do the same on other parcels of land.