Activists hope complaint will stymie Dunes development

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Activists opposed to the privatization of a pavilion at Indiana Dunes State Park want officials to review a developer's renovation plans, arguing they would improperly alter the historic building.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Dunes Action made the joint request in a complaint filed Thursday. It was sent to state and federal historic preservation officials and is just the latest in a long series of attempts to stymie the project.

The opponents say plans to add a rooftop bar and two balconies would make the pavilion "unsightly."

If the officials agree, it could bolster legal efforts to block the project.

Pavilion developer Chuck Williams worked behind the scenes with state officials, securing a decades-long lease with favorable terms.

Williams is treasurer of the Indiana Republican Party.