Charles W. Flynn
Encyclopedia
Charles Winslow Flynn is executive director of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area in Yuma, Arizona
. In this capacity, Flynn oversees environmental restoration, economic revitalization of Yuma’s Colorado River
waterfront, and preservation of cultural and natural resources in the Yuma area.
in 1974, Flynn worked for Ed Koch
, then a Congressman representing part of New York City. While working for Koch, Flynn was involved in human rights issues, including the end of U.S. foreign aid to the right-wing government of Uruguay. During this time, Flynn worked closely with noted reconstruction expert Robert Gersony
. After Koch’s election
as Mayor of New York, Flynn followed him to the New York City government.
, an amusement park
and local institution on the shores of Conneaut Lake
in rural Crawford County
. Flynn made strenuous efforts to make the century-old park economically viable, but while the park showed a slight profit in 1985, high interest rates and skyrocketing insurance costs, as well as the park’s diminished position in the market (compared to regional parks such as Cedar Point
and Kennywood
) made business difficult.
In the 1990s, Flynn sought to make the facility an “entertainment destination” while getting rid of some of the more money-losing rides; in addition, in 1990 he made the controversial decision to fence the park and charge an admission fee for the first time in the park’s history.
After a frustrating 1992 season—in which 13 out of 16 weekends saw significant rainfall – Flynn determined that he had raised the Park’s profitability as high as possible, he made the difficult decision to sell the park. After selling to a group of local businessmen, Flynn stayed on as a part of the management team in 1993, and left to take over the Wheeling National Heritage Area http://www.wheelingheritage.org/index.html in 1994 (while continuing to reside in Northwest Pennsylvania).
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
in 1984, serving until 1994.
In 1990, Flynn sought state office, facing State Representative Bob Robbins
in a race to succeed retiring State Senator Roy Wilt (R, 50th District). Despite the district's Republican lean, Flynn hoped to ride the coattails of Democratic Governor Bob Casey, who was popular in the area due to his pro-life, pro-gun stance and economic populism. Despite support from the state's Democratic establishment and high-profile campaign stops by Gov. Casey in the final weeks, Flynn could not overcome the district's conservative slant, and lost the election.
. Flynn left Wheeling for Yuma, Arizona in 1999.
Under Flynn's leadership, Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area has engaged in an aggressive environmental rehabilitation of Yuma's East Wetlands area. Before the restoration project, the East Wetlands was clogged with salt cedar and other non-native vegetation. In addition, the area was a haven for illegal activity. Flynn has led an effort to remove the non-native vegetation and replace it with indigenous cottonwood, willow
, mesquite
and native grasses.
In addition, Flynn is leading an effort to restore an area of the Colorado River along the border between the United States and Mexico
. The area, known as Hunter’s Hole, is a haven for human smuggling, the drug trade, and other illegal activity. The plan would involve clearing the deep underbrush and planting native vegetation at regular intervals in order to give the Border Patrol
greater visibility. Yuma gathered together the stakeholders in a regional/bi-national conference in 2008, and the concept has generally been embraced by environmentalists, farmers, the law enforcement community, and authorities on the Mexican side of the border.
Flynn has also embarked on an $80-million private riverfront development project. The project, spearheaded by Flynn and San Diego-based developer Craig Clark, includes a 150-room Hilton Garden Inn
and 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) business conference center as well as commercial and residential development. The conference center opened in November 2008, and the hotel opened in May 2009.
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. In this capacity, Flynn oversees environmental restoration, economic revitalization of Yuma’s Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
waterfront, and preservation of cultural and natural resources in the Yuma area.
Early career
After graduation from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1974, Flynn worked for Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
, then a Congressman representing part of New York City. While working for Koch, Flynn was involved in human rights issues, including the end of U.S. foreign aid to the right-wing government of Uruguay. During this time, Flynn worked closely with noted reconstruction expert Robert Gersony
Robert Gersony
Robert Gersony is an American consultant known for his reports on conflict-affected countries, in particular in Africa. His most famous work, the 1994 "Gersony Report", was never actually finished...
. After Koch’s election
New York City mayoral election, 1977
The New York City mayoral election of 1977 occurred on Tuesday, November 8, 1977.Incumbent mayor Abraham Beame, a Democrat, was challenged by five other Democrats, including Representative Ed Koch, New York Secretary of State Mario Cuomo, and feminist activist and former Representative Bella Abzug...
as Mayor of New York, Flynn followed him to the New York City government.
Conneaut Lake Park
In 1981 Flynn left New York City government and moved to Northwest Pennsylvania to take over his family’s business, Conneaut Lake ParkConneaut Lake Park
Conneaut Lake Park is a summer amusement resort, located in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, USA. It has long served as a regional tourist destination, and is loved by roller coaster enthusiasts for its classic Blue Streak coaster, which was recently classified as "historic" by the group American...
, an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
and local institution on the shores of Conneaut Lake
Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania
Conneaut Lake is a borough in Crawford County, Pennsylvania at the southern end of a lake with the same name. The population was 708 at the 2000 census.-History:...
in rural Crawford County
Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 88,765.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...
. Flynn made strenuous efforts to make the century-old park economically viable, but while the park showed a slight profit in 1985, high interest rates and skyrocketing insurance costs, as well as the park’s diminished position in the market (compared to regional parks such as Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
and Kennywood
Kennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
) made business difficult.
In the 1990s, Flynn sought to make the facility an “entertainment destination” while getting rid of some of the more money-losing rides; in addition, in 1990 he made the controversial decision to fence the park and charge an admission fee for the first time in the park’s history.
After a frustrating 1992 season—in which 13 out of 16 weekends saw significant rainfall – Flynn determined that he had raised the Park’s profitability as high as possible, he made the difficult decision to sell the park. After selling to a group of local businessmen, Flynn stayed on as a part of the management team in 1993, and left to take over the Wheeling National Heritage Area http://www.wheelingheritage.org/index.html in 1994 (while continuing to reside in Northwest Pennsylvania).
Political involvement
Flynn entered elected office as a city councilmanCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
in 1984, serving until 1994.
In 1990, Flynn sought state office, facing State Representative Bob Robbins
Robert D. Robbins
Robert D. "Bob" Robbins is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 50th District since 1990. He previously served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 17th District from 1983 to 1990....
in a race to succeed retiring State Senator Roy Wilt (R, 50th District). Despite the district's Republican lean, Flynn hoped to ride the coattails of Democratic Governor Bob Casey, who was popular in the area due to his pro-life, pro-gun stance and economic populism. Despite support from the state's Democratic establishment and high-profile campaign stops by Gov. Casey in the final weeks, Flynn could not overcome the district's conservative slant, and lost the election.
National Heritage Area work
In 1994, Flynn became the Executive Director of the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation. In his first year, he helped spearhead public-private efforts to develop the Wheeling Artisan Center , a renovated industrial building in downtown Wheeling that included a brew-pub, West Virginia-made crafts, and exhibits about Wheeling and West Virginia history. Other major investments in Wheeling that were made or begun during Flynn's tenure include the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center and a riverfront park known as Wheeling Heritage Port that has reconnected downtown Wheeling with the Ohio RiverOhio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. Flynn left Wheeling for Yuma, Arizona in 1999.
Under Flynn's leadership, Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area has engaged in an aggressive environmental rehabilitation of Yuma's East Wetlands area. Before the restoration project, the East Wetlands was clogged with salt cedar and other non-native vegetation. In addition, the area was a haven for illegal activity. Flynn has led an effort to remove the non-native vegetation and replace it with indigenous cottonwood, willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
and native grasses.
In addition, Flynn is leading an effort to restore an area of the Colorado River along the border between the United States and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The area, known as Hunter’s Hole, is a haven for human smuggling, the drug trade, and other illegal activity. The plan would involve clearing the deep underbrush and planting native vegetation at regular intervals in order to give the Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
greater visibility. Yuma gathered together the stakeholders in a regional/bi-national conference in 2008, and the concept has generally been embraced by environmentalists, farmers, the law enforcement community, and authorities on the Mexican side of the border.
Flynn has also embarked on an $80-million private riverfront development project. The project, spearheaded by Flynn and San Diego-based developer Craig Clark, includes a 150-room Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is a chain of hotels trademarked by the Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Garden Inns are considered to be upscale mid-priced hotels that are designed for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel brand is similar to that of the Courtyard by Marriott brand, a key competitor...
and 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) business conference center as well as commercial and residential development. The conference center opened in November 2008, and the hotel opened in May 2009.