Been watching a strange dance unfold in Gastonia the past few months. The city is condemning a spot owned by Fidelity Bank in order to build a $27m. hotel and conference center on the site.

First odd thing is that the bank merely wanted to be paid the city and county valuation for the property, $850,000. The city said no, and trotted out new appraisals to back that up. Funny, the difference in value did not matter when all the city wanted to do is collect the maximum property tax payment from the bank. Sounds like the bank is entitled some property tax rebates, at least.

Anyway, stranger still is that Gastonia City Manager Jim Palenick is explicitly copying what he did in a previous job as city manager of Bay City (Michigan) — even right down to using the same firm, Hotel Investment Services Inc., to build the hotel and conference center.

Has anyone in Gaston County been to Michigan lately? It is an economic basket case. Bay City? One headline from the other day: Crumbling streets have residents – even commissioners – filing claims against Bay City. Yeah, but at least they have that conference center.

Palenick was fired from his job in Bay City in August 2002, went to Rio Rancho (New Mexico) lasted three years before being fired while trying to implement a massive $47m. downtown “redevelopment” scheme that involved a movie studio deal with Lions Gate Entertainment.

Palenick is now suing the city of Rio Rancho for wrongful termination. The city says Palenick should not have accepted $110,000 in severance if he wanted to sue.

Meanwhile, Gastonia’s own consultant on the hotel deal wonders about the restaurant support for the hotel and conference center Palenick has sold to a gaga city council. And the city seems to be staring a costly legal battle with Fidelity Bank right in the eyes over the project.

Yeah, this’ll end well.