Two rival groups claim right to overhaul the storm-batteredPort Hinchinbrook

THE battle over who redevelops Port Hinchinbrook pits two camps, one of which includes the US-based co-founder of the Croc’s footwear empire, against each other.

Port Hinchinbrook Resort at Cardwell.

BATTLE BREWING

THERE’S a battle brewing over who owns Port Hinchinbrook in far north Queensland.

Two rival groups now claim to have the right to overhaul the storm-battered common areas at Cardwell originally developed by late white-shoe brigader Keith Williams.

One camp includes disgraced bizoid Craig Gore, the two-time bankrupt permanently banned from the financial services sector. The other group features an American bloke who co-founded the Crocs footwear empire.

The dispute has flared up since August, when The Passage Holdings collapsed owing $13.7 million.

That entity, closely associated with Gore, acquired the property last year for nearly $3 million and claimed it would oversee a $450 million makeover.

Fast forward to today and Oakland Investments, a British Virgin Islands outfit with close ties to Gore, maintains it has the highest-ranking mortgage to take control.

Not so, according to five American investors who say they collectively tipped in $6.8 million to Passage to acquire 25 parcels of land at Port Hinchinbrook.

Among these investors is George Boedecker (illustrated), who helped launch Crocs in 2002 and has gone on to establish his own charitable foundation. He kicked in $330,000.

 

Illustration Tony Bela.

DRINK DRIVING

WE DON’T know too much about Boedecker, a Colorado-based entrepreneur.

But what we do know is that he generated some embarrassing headlines in 2013 when he pleaded guilty to drink-drivingin the US.

Boedecker admitted that he was “wasted’’ when police found him slumped behind the wheel of his parked Porsche Carrera. He was more than two times over the legal limit.

In a delusional rant, Boedecker claimed superstar Taylor Swift was his girlfriend and had been driving and he then abused police using very colourful language.

He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to perform 96 hours of community service, pay a $600 fine and get alcohol treatment.

LIVID INVESTOR

ANOTHER livid US investor in the scheme is San Francisco lawyer Charles Seavey, who tipped in $2 million.

Seavey alleges that Oakland’s claim of a first mortgage over the property is “a complete fabrication’’.

He told City Beat yesterday that he and his fellow investors hope to dredge the harbour and restore the marina over the next 18 months.

Seavey said the group remained in close contact with Passage liquidator Michael Brennan and they wanted to see Gore publicly examined in court.

Brennan alleged in a recent report to creditors that Gore may have acted as a shadow director of the failed company.

STILL IN CHARGE

MEANWHILE, our spies on the ground at Port Hinchinbrook tell us that Gore is still in town.

“He’s making out like he’s the lord of the manor, saying he’s in charge with Oakland Investments, and the other American investors are out of the picture,’’ one source told us.

Gore has even been spotted regularly serving drinks behind the bar at the marina restaurant.

The former Rich Lister did not return a call seeking comment yesterday.

In a separate matter, Gore returns to Brisbane Magistrates Court on November 3.

He is fighting 12 charges of fraud and three counts of making business decisions while banned.