Boca Raton ice rink promoter has troubled past

Less than two years ago, Steven Gbur pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 from his former employer.

[Felix]

The Virginia company is happy.

[rukidding]

He can work with Batmasian, Talbott, andy scott, and Lief Ahnell - The Loser Group

[Ignignokt]

Just what Boca Raton needs , more crap . I wonder if they'll ever finish the townhome project at the corner of Spanish River and Military . They cleared the Scrub habitat , put in the sewage and water , and are leaving it to rot . The construct trailer is gone .
I miss old Florida .

[Ignignokt]

Not to mention Office Depot's Ultra Mega Global Headquarters on the corner of Clint Moore and Military . Sick.

[Yeah Sure]

Does this guy think everyone is stupid?
He has had legal problems every step of the way and they were serious. There is absolutely no way the city is going to do business with him and risk the project going bad or worse- like embezzelment. I know guys like this and they are all the same. Big dreamers that tackle huge projects and fail repeatedly. More show than go so to speak. Mr. Gbur I know you will be reading all of these posts
so let me give you some advise. You area lightweight not a player. Your mouth is writing checks your a--ss can never cash. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble because the City will never do business with you with a criminal background like yours.
You need to go into business for yourself on a smaller scale and have no partners. You sound like a $10 millionaire also.A public records search of Weston reveals no home ownership by you.Are you a renter?
Like we are really going to give you 12 acres and 30 million dollars to build a rink!!!!!!!!!!
First a guilty plea on embezz. then 3 separate issues with the night club you owned. First a sales tax lien from the State, a civil suit from your other investors and an eviction from the property owners. Are you for real?????????? Take a hike Steven.

[john]

Once a thief, always a thief!

[kck]

As far as hustlers go, the guy's got moxie. Out on probation for embezzlement, a tax cheat, and he's still willing to say to municipal government: "Trust me...it was all a misunderstanding."

In his line, he's swinging for the fences: govt land and a cause that involves lots of cash. Just the guy for the job!

Go sweep some floors until you pay pay what you owe, Ace.

[joe]

This guy is dreaming. The story alone just buried his proposal. The investors must be equally stupid to support a losing propostion from the start. Why is the city building this rink? This will be another Spanish River fiasco. Save the money and put it to better use..

[Hazmat]

Mo Moscowitz wrote:

Jews feeding on Jews, how biblical.

Human greed transcends human beliefs.

what's religion got to do with this?

[Hazmat]

Public Memo to the City of Boca Raton.

This is a project that will wind up costing the City millions of Taxpayer dollars.

It is unnecessary and a misuse of valuable property that if can't be put to a good public purpose, the City needs to sell to private developers.

Government should not be competing with private enterprise - what's it going to take to get you fools to learn this lesson?

[Boca Needs New Leadership]

Spanish River library...boondoggle, Eden development...boondoggle, Ice Rink...boondoggle...racing cars on Spanish River Blvd. over the bridge...no cops...murder in the mall...no information to the public before the next murders...build build build which equates to spending our tax money.

I fed up with this rich over spending team running the city.

[richard Pompano Beach]

City should probably start out under a smaller scale as the Virginia company suggests...to see what interest the community has in this sport.

[whatthe]

Who in their right minds would grant a public project to this crook? "Loan" him $22 Million and give him 12 acres of land? Why don't we all just write him a check and be done with it? Why waste time pretending he'll build the ice rink complex?

[Boca Raton]

Perfect place to start the tax cut backs, give the money to teachers

[ON PROBATION]

Funny, Funny CON ARTIST.

[Crazy]

Time for the city to open up for bids again. Time to start over. 2 proposals? Well actually only one now. Call some city governments where this Virginia company runs Ice Arena's and ask them how happy they are. Boca is going about this the wrong way. They need someone local involved that actually cares about the community,partner that with someone with knowledge of the ice arena industry and you have something.

There were other capable people out there, many local or semi local.... yet only 2 bids???? And one of the bids wants the city to give/loan them money? If it weren't so sad it would be laughable.

A public/private venture is tough, but can work with proper diligence and homework. It seems neither is being done here.

[Broward Commission]

I just hope he keeps heading north

[RUKidding]

Another in the looong line of South Florida con-artists. It is truly amazing how prolific these people are in this relatively small area. Why did I go to school, college, and then get an even higher degree to ultimately work my tail off, when these people find a way to put massive amounts of money in their pockets???? And of course the excuses and denial are made with no semblance of shame. Where does that come from?
PLEASE follow up on this story and let us know if the City of Boca falls down this hole.....as it did with the library across the street from the Rink's proposed site.

[Not So Sure]

Yeah Sure wrote:

Does this guy think everyone is stupid?
He has had legal problems every step of the way and they were serious. There is absolutely no way the city is going to do business with him and risk the project going bad or worse- like embezzelment. I know guys like this and they are all the same. Big dreamers that tackle huge projects and fail repeatedly. More show than go so to speak. Mr. Gbur I know you will be reading all of these posts
so let me give you some advise. You area lightweight not a player. Your mouth is writing checks your a--ss can never cash. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble because the City will never do business with you with a criminal background like yours.
You need to go into business for yourself on a smaller scale and have no partners. You sound like a $10 millionaire also.A public records search of Weston reveals no home ownership by you.Are you a renter?
Like we are really going to give you 12 acres and 30 million dollars to build a rink!!!!!!!!!!
First a guilty plea on embezz. then 3 separate issues with the night club you owned. First a sales tax lien from the State, a civil suit from your other investors and an eviction from the property owners. Are you for real?????????? Take a hike Steven.

Yeh......What he says.......
Does this guy really think everyone is stupid? He has absolutely no backgropund that has ever proved to be successful. Why would he think that Boca Raton would be so stupid as to loan him $30,000,000 AND give him 12 acres of city property? How much of that $30,000,000 would wind up in his pocket? The other company with a good background only wants $11,000,000. What the.....? I definately vote "NO".

[Not So Sure]

Broward Commission wrote:

I just hope he keeps heading north

By the way, I'll do it for $75,000,000 and 20 acres of city property........on the ocean.......and make it a 1st class rink..........if I don't lose the $75,000,000 first, but Oh, what the heck. Put me down.