In December, a lame duck Northampton County Council voted 5-4 to kick in $10 million toward a $130 million tourist attraction proposed in downtown Easton. The DaVinci Science Center’s Lin Erickson claimed that her project was educational, but its real draw was a shark-infested 500,000 gallon salt-water aquarium.

To help make this a reality, council agreed to pony up $250,000 in hotel taxes every year, for the next 40 years. But a newly installed Northampton County is having second thoughts about this grant, especially since the marine exhibit is no longer in play. John Cusick and Matt Dietz, who opposed the original handout, introduced an ordinance that will revoke the grant in its entirety Feb. 1.

Just weeks after the grant was approved, Erickson dropped the aquarium. This is because it could arguably compete with one proposed by Ripley’s in Monroe County. That could jeopardize a $20 million grant from the state. So instead of sharks, Erickson has proposed a “Nature Dome” with river otters, skunks and raccoons. It permits you to see the exact same things you’d see if you walked along the river. There’s also a large insect garden and a 100-foot-tall Vitruvian Man.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto, who has already pledged $30 million to this project, is still an enthusiastic cheerleader. Executive Lamont McClure said he also supports DaVinci, but needs realistic numbers.

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Director Mark Hartney provided McClure and council with a dose of reality. Though his department “has an overall positive view of the project,” he cautioned that it would be 99 years before the county began to see a return on its investment. This assumes that the projections provided by DaVinci are accurate.

In 2017, DaVinci was awarded $50,000 grant in hotel taxes to develop a business plan, but no such plan is expected until the end of June.

Hartney has recommended an independent analysis by a third party who would be tasked with responsibility for verifying the assumptions and calculations in the still preliminary business plan. After a complaint by a local restaurant, DaVinci scrapped plans for one of its own on site. That will reduce its annual revenue by $1.25 million. “How is this revenue being replaced? asks Hartney.

One dubious claim by DaVinci is that it will receive $4.2 million in support revenue annually. This supposedly will consist of $1 million in government support, $1.2 million in annual giving and $1.5 million in grants and contracts.

Hartney has also recommended that no money be provided until the shovels are in the ground.

DaVinci has previously said that 60 percent of its money would come in the form of government grants. But so far, only 38 percent of these commitments have been realized.

Peg Ferraro, council’s most vocal advocate for DaVinci, made a pitch for giving the project $250,000 this year, but that determination will come later.

Council will vote on ending the $10 million grant tomorrow.