Q&A About My Plan For Shamokin!

Hello Fellow Shamokinites

(especially Mr. Lecman)

Thank you for taking the time to review my plan for Shamokin and for raising these important questions. I hear your concerns loud and clear, and I appreciate your skepticism—it’s exactly why I’m running as an independent for mayor. As your Seventh Ward Judge of Election and a 4-year Shamokin resident, I’ve walked these streets, seen our challenges, and envisioned what’s possible. My plan to revitalize Shamokin by 2035—creating 1,111 jobs, making us self-sufficient by 2029, debt-free by 2031, and eliminating property taxes by 2033—may seem ambitious, but I believe in dreaming big for our town and the surrounding communities. Let me address your concerns one by one and explain how we can make this happen together.

Theme Park Location in #Shamokin

You’re absolutely right to ask where we’ll find space for a theme park in Shamokin, given how compact our city is. The theme park, along with a lake and greenhouse, will be built on top of a 20–50-acre dormant sand quarry just outside Shamokin. This quarry, which sits about 50 feet above the surrounding land and has a pit 75–90 feet deep, gives us the perfect platform. The flat top will house a 5-acre theme park with rides like a small roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and carousel, a 1–2-acre lake, and a 5-acre greenhouse—all in one cohesive recreational area. Below, hidden in the quarry pit, we’ll install the Rondo heat battery to provide clean energy for the site and the town.

I chose a quarry because it’s an underutilized resource that doesn’t require displacing anyone in Shamokin’s urban core. We have several old quarries and mines in the area—think of the Quaker Run mine near Shamokin Creek or the 8,000-acre Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) just outside town. These sites show we have the space if we look beyond the city center. My team will work with local real estate firms like Zeisloft Construction and the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance to pinpoint the right quarry, but the idea is to repurpose land that’s already been mined, turning a relic of our past into a beacon for our future.

Here’s the exciting part: if you draw a line from Knoebels in Elysburg to Shamokin and then to the AOAA, they’re almost in a straight line. By placing the Rondo heat battery and recreational hub in this old quarry, we’d align with all three, creating a regional tourism corridor that draws visitors from Harrisburg to Scranton. This isn’t just a theme park—it’s a strategic move to put Shamokin on the map.

Knoebels Involvement and Alternatives

You asked if I’ve spoken to the Knoebels family about managing another theme park. I haven’t yet, and I’ll be honest—I don’t think they’ll take me seriously until I’m elected mayor in 2026. Right now, my goal is to put this plan out there, show our community and potential investors what’s possible, and build momentum. Knoebels is my first choice for a partner, and here’s why: they’re local, just 10 miles away in Elysburg, and they’ve been running America’s largest free-admission park since 1926. They know how to create affordable, family-friendly experiences—something I want for Shamokin. Their expertise in maintaining nostalgic rides, like their 1913 carousel, and their community focus align with my vision. Plus, a year-round park in Shamokin would boost their productivity by keeping their staff and resources active all year, unlike their seasonal operation in Elysburg. It’s a win-win: they expand their legacy, and we get 300 jobs and 300,000 visitors annually, generating $510,000 for our economy.

That said, Knoebels isn’t the only option. If they’re not interested, I’d approach other operators like Six Flags or DelGrosso’s Park in Tipton, PA. Six Flags has experience managing multiple parks, and while they’re a bigger corporation, they might see value in a smaller, community-focused project. The key is finding a partner who understands our area’s needs and can help us create a park that draws families while boosting local businesses like Dunkin’ Donuts and Weis Markets. I’ll start these conversations as mayor, but for now, I’m putting the idea out there to spark interest and show what’s possible.

Old Mines as Server Farms: Landowner and ISP Cooperation

Turning old mines into server farms for high-speed internet is a big idea, and you’re right—it requires landowner cooperation, significant work, and support from ISPs and tech companies. I haven’t spoken to mine owners yet, just like I haven’t spoken to Knoebels, but I’m putting this plan out there to get everyone thinking about the potential. #NorthumberlandCounty has plenty of abandoned mines—the AOAA alone covers 8,000 acres of reclaimed mine land. The Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance’s recent conference on mine pool utilization shows growing interest in repurposing these sites, so I believe landowners might be open to it.

My approach will be to identify mine owners through county records and the Pennsylvania DEP, then pitch the economic benefits: 50 tech jobs at $60,000/year each, $1.1 million in annual revenue, and tax incentives through Shamokin’s Federal Opportunity Zone status. We’d offer lease agreements or equity stakes to sweeten the deal, and I’d commission geological surveys ($15,000–$40,000) to ensure the mines are safe for retrofitting. For ISPs, I’d partner with local providers like Verizon or Service Electric, showing how a data center can serve as a regional hub, benefiting nearby towns like Mount Carmel and Coal Township. Tech companies will be drawn by the low-cost cooling—using mine water saves 20–30% on energy costs—and tax breaks, as seen in places like Virginia, where data centers generated $600 million in tax revenue in 2022.

I know this sounds complex, and it is, but starting with a smaller 1 MW data center ($3M–$5M) can prove the concept before scaling up. It’s about getting everyone to the table—mine owners, ISPs, tech firms, and local leaders—to see the potential.

Rondo Heat Battery: Landowner Cooperation

The #RondoHeatBattery, which will provide clean energy for the theme park, greenhouse, and potentially Shamokin, will be installed in the same quarry as the recreational area. So, it’s tied to the quarry purchase ($500,000–$700,000). I haven’t spoken to the quarry owners yet, but my pitch will focus on the benefits: the Rondo system saves $100,000 annually in energy costs, generates $50,000 in revenue, and reduces emissions, aligning with local environmental initiatives like the EPA’s ROAR project in Shamokin. I’ll offer a lease or equity stake to ensure they’re on board. The quarry’s sand can even be used for insulation, cutting costs by $50,000–$100,000, making this a promising piece of the puzzle.

Addressing Permitting and Upfront Costs

You’re absolutely right about the challenges of permitting and costs, and I appreciate you pointing them out. Permitting in Pennsylvania for industrial, commercial, and agricultural projects can take 3–5 years, and the upfront costs are significant. Let me break this down and show how we’ll tackle these hurdles.

Permitting Timeline:

- I’ve adjusted my timeline to account for delays. As mayor in 2026, I’ll start with due diligence—surveys and environmental assessments ($115,000–$340,000)—and permit applications. I’ll hire a zoning expert ($20,000–$50,000) and work with SEDA-COG’s Betsy Kramer, who’s helped Shamokin with grants before, to streamline the process.

- 2027–2029: We’ll secure permits, likely taking 2–3 years. The Rondo heat battery and greenhouse will be built by 2029, creating 181 jobs and $230,000/year. The data center will come online by 2031, adding 100 jobs and $1.1 million/year.

- 2032–2035: The theme park opens by 2034, adding 475 jobs and $510,000/year. Home restoration (10 homes/year) starts in 2026, scaling to 50 homes by 2031. We’ll achieve self-sufficiency by 2031, be debt-free by 2033, and eliminate property taxes by 2035.

Upfront Costs:

- Data Center Costs: You mentioned $50M to retrofit mines, but my estimate for a small 1–2 MW data center is $3.7M–$8.5M (server installation: $2M–$5M, cooling: $500,000–$1M, fiber optics: $200,000–$500,000, retrofitting: $1M–$2M). Starting with a pilot at $3M–$5M reduces risk, and tech firm investments ($1M–$3M) will help scale up.

- Theme Park Costs: A small amusement park with 3–5 rides typically costs millions, but my estimate is $5M–$15M (rides/facilities: $4M–$12M, infrastructure: $1M–$3M). Knoebels’ co-investment ($2M–$5M) lowers our burden, and the total project cost is $12.6M–$34.3M, likely $15M–$20M with phased development.

- Funding Strategy: We’ll secure $4M–$11.5M through grants like PA SITES ($2M–$5M), ARC ($400,000–$1M), DCED Keystone ($500,000–$2M), and federal clean energy funds ($1M–$3M). Partnerships with SABER businesses ($500,000–$2M) and crowdfunding on Israel4PA.com ($10,000–$50,000) will bridge gaps. Revenue from the theme park ($510,000/year), data center ($1.1M/year), greenhouse ($80,000/year), and Rondo energy sales ($50,000/year) will ensure long-term sustainability.

Why This Can Work in Shamokin—With Your Help

I understand why you might think this can’t happen here. Shamokin has faced tough times—population loss, economic decline, and abandoned infrastructure since the coal industry’s collapse. But I see potential, just like when I walk into a house and envision what it could be. The AOAA turned 8,000 acres of mined land into a top-rated recreational area, attracting visitors and investment. My plan builds on that momentum, using our quarries and mines to create diverse economic drivers: tourism, agriculture, and technology.

This is a crazy, big, beautiful plan with a lot of moving parts, but that’s the point—I’m willing to dream big for Shamokin, Mount Carmel, Coal Township, and beyond. I can’t do this alone, though. I need the community’s help, the mine and quarry owners’ cooperation, and investments from federal, state, local, crowdfunding, and private sources. My goal is to bring everyone to the table—residents, businesses, landowners, and investors—to see if we can make this happen. As mayor, I’ll fight for every grant, every partnership, and every opportunity to make Shamokin self-sufficient by 2029, debt-free by 2031, and property tax-free by 2035, while funding safer streets and better schools.

Let’s Make This Happen Together

I’m putting this plan out there to spark interest and show what’s possible. The mine owners, quarry owners, and even Knoebels might think it’s a wild idea now, but once they see the potential—1,111 jobs, $2.33M in annual revenue, 1,260 new residents by 2035—they’ll want to be part of it. I’m asking for your support, your ideas, and your voice to help me bring this vision to life. Share your thoughts at Israel_Cruz_76@yahoo.com, follow me on X at @Israel4PA, or leave a message at (570) 415-0275. Together, we can rebuild Shamokin into a thriving, sustainable community for our kids and grandkids.