Hagadone has double legacy

Most northern Idahoans have strong opinions about multimillionaire resort developer and newspaper mogul Duane Hagadone's commitment to the well-being of Coeur d'Alene and northern Idaho - indeed all of Idaho. Some see him as a generous philanthropist who gives both anonymously and publicly to many worthy causes.

Others see him as one who gives only when it serves pure self-interest.

To his partisan supporters, Hagadone is a gutsy hero who, at considerable risk, invested in the Coeur d'Alene Resort and its fine golf course, gambling that "build it and they will come." There were no guarantees, but he built it and they did come.

Regardless of one's views of Hagadone, of particular interest to many was the recent business decision to contribute $100,000 to the committee running the Coeur d'Alene Diamond Cup Unlimited Hydroplane races during the Labor Day weekend.

For unlimited-hydro fans, there is nothing in all of sports quite like the sound of five or six unlimited hydros, engines at full throttle, roaring down the straight stretch for the running start of a heat.

The sport has always had drama because of competition between teams like Bernie Little's "Miss Budweiser" and Ollie Bardahl's "Miss Bardahl" and, because of colorful drivers like Mira Slovak, an airline pilot from the Czech Republic who flew his plane to freedom during the Iron Curtain days. He was usually at the controls of the "Miss Maverick."

Then there was the legendary Bill Muncey, who won more than 50 of the races, usually driving "Miss Thriftway" and "Thriftway Too." And there were the community-owned boats, the "Miss Spokane," the "Miss Burien" and the longest lasting one, the "Miss Madison." That the sport was dangerous can be testified to the number of fine drivers, like Dallas Sartz, who died in the crash of Spokane's Eagle Electric.

Now, unlimited-hydro fans in the Inland Northwest, who usually have to travel to the Tri-Cities for the Atomic Cup or to Seattle for the Seafair race to get their annual fix, can stay closer to home. Hagadone is betting the youth riots, which turned the community against the races some 40 years ago, will not reoccur. Instead, it will be a fun-filled and enjoyable experience for all.

Before one heaps new huzzahs on this complex, yet extraordinarily successful businessman, one should best remember, like many of the super-rich, Hagdone's actions reflect his apparent belief that there are two sets of laws: one for him and one the rest of us have to follow.

Most noteworthy of recent vintage was the construction of his fabulous multimillion-dollar home over-looking Palm Springs, Calif. Only trouble is, according to the Wall Street Journal, Hagadone chose to build before having all the proper permits in hand. He reportedly told contractors to move ahead, he would pay whatever fines and penalties levied by the various agencies.

This brought back to mind the time Jay Shelledy (former Idaho AP reporter, former managing editor of the Lewiston Tribune, former publisher of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, and former editor of The Salt Lake Tribune), was working as a marine deputy sheriff on Lake Coeur d'Alene during one of the summers he spent teaching at Kootenai Junior-Senior High School.

It was after dark when Shelledy spotted this sleek boat shooting across the lake without its running lights on. Having ticketed several other boats during the evening for the same violation, he gave chase and pulled the boat over. Hagadone was at the controls and as Shelledy started to write the ticket. Hagadone reportedly protested with the inevitable "Do you know who I am?" statement.

Shelledy said, yes, he did, but it made not a whit of difference to him, Hagadone had to abide by the law like everyone else. Nor would it be fair, Shelledy said, to have ticketed the others during the evening and not ticket Hagadone because of who he was.

While many lake-users will be thanking Hagadone for helping bring back the unlimited hydro races, all should also doff their hats to Shelledy for enforcing the law many years ago. There is less danger now of not seeing an oncoming bullet boat racing at unlimited hydroplane speeds across the lake at night driven by any scofflaw ignoring the requirement to have on his running lights.

---

Carlson is a retired journalist who served as press secretary to former Idaho. Gov. Cecil D. Andrus. He lives in Medimont in Kootenai County.