FOLEY, Ala. — Foley Mayor John Koniar was one of three area mayors to talk with state officials in Montgomery recently concerning the Gulf State Park convention center issue.

Koniar and mayors Tony Kennon of Orange Beach and Robert Craft of Gulf Shores were in Montgomery last week talking to state officials about getting a new convention center in place, an issue that has been bogged down in legal proceedings since Gulf State Park Resort and Convention Center were dealt knockout blows by hurricanes Ivan and Katrina in 2004-2005.

According to Koniar, the three area mayors traveled to Montgomery to talk about the issue since a new hotel and convention center would be good for the area and to dispel the rumor that the three cities don’t work well together.

The mayors’ trip came in the aftermath of a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that shot down Gov. Bob Riley’s plan to allow a private company to develop and manage a proposed $100 million, 350-room hotel and convention center that would be built on beachfront property in Gulf State Park.

Riley had originally proposed to give Auburn University a long-term lease on the beachfront property with a sub-lease going to the West Paces Hotel Group of Atlanta.

It was a plan that immediately drew fire from a local grassroots group all the way to state agencies, although tourism, business and chambers of commerce by and large supported the proposal.

The Surpreme Court decision was based on the State Parks Concession Act, which puts a 12-year limit on private companies that contract to operate concessions in Alabama state parks.

According to Koniar, a state senator was willing to put an attachment on a bill that would have essentially “deleted” the 12-year limit on state park concessions, an action that Riley supported during the mayors’ visit with him. Koniar said Craft took the lead in the discussion with the governor and others since Gulf State Park is in his city.

The mayors also met with Barnett Lawley, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, for approximately 45 minutes, Koniar said. Lawley’s agency oversees the 24 state parks that make up the Alabama park system, of which Gulf State Park generates the most revenue.

Riley and Barnett urged the mayors to meet with Dr. Paul Hubbert, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alabama Education Association, while they were in Montgomery.

As Koniar put it this week, the mayors were told as regards Hubbert, “It’s not going to happen without his support.” The reference is to the proposed new facilities at Gulf State Park.

The Alabama Education Association filed one of several lawsuits to stop the governor’s plan from going forward as regarded a new hotel and convention center.

“He was lukewarm to say the least,” Koniar said of Hubbert’s response during their hour and 45 minute meeting with him, although Koniar said Hubbert was gracious to them.

At present, Koniar said he, Craft and Kennon are trying to respond to some of the concerns Hubbert has regarding Riley’s plan for Gulf State Park.

Among the criticisms of the Riley plan for a four-star hotel and convention center is that such a hotel would be cost prohibitive for use by the typical Alabama family.

Those who favor the plan note that millions of dollars in convention business is lost to states such as Florida annually as a result of the lack of a hotel and convention center at Gulf State Park.