Venus residents to meet with Bates on Eagle Center

Residents of the community where the Eagle National Security Center is proposed are meeting with their county commissioner at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Commissioner Don Bates will address residents who don't want to see the $425 million war games facility built on 7,700 acres in the southwest corner of the county.

"I'm pretty sure 1,000 soldiers, big war planes and lots of helicopters flying over Highlands County will be noticed by all," said Venus teacher Lisa Moss.

"I am really worried about the children who live in the area," Moss added, "about four busloads, to be precise. They will virtually be living in a war zone with constant machine gun fire, planes, helicopters, and soldiers in camouflage... It will be as if they live in a third-world country."

Eagle opponents have retained an attorney to fight the proposal, which they say could foul the waters of nearby Fisheating Creek and interrupt the traffic of bears, panthers and other wildlife.

The Fisheating Creek watershed is fed by two sloughs Gannet and John Henry, "which will be, in our opinion, devastated by this latest assault, if it is allowed to move forward," said Ellen Peterson of SaveOurCreeks.org.

"Fisheating Creek contains a staging area for swallow-tailed kites that is the largest in the United States," wrote Dale L. Gillis, president of the bird watchers. "Up to 2,200 kites have been seen at once, and perhaps 3,000 individuals use the roost annually, which represents about 60 percent of the North American population."

Greg Eagle, a Cape Coral real estate developer who will own the center along with partners, said hunting will not be allowed and that his center won't hurt the environment.

The meeting is to be held at the Venus Clubhouse on County Road 731, one block east of Old State Road 8. From U.S. 27, turn right on C.R. 731. The clubhouse is about 2 miles west.