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Souter's property

A businessman has asked the town of Weare, N.H., to seize the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter in order to build a hotel and museum on the property.

Logan Darrow Clements on Monday faxed a request to ChipMeany, Weare's code-enforcement officer, seeking to start the application process to build a hotel at 34 Cilley Hill Road, the site of Mr. Souter's home.

Justice Souter's vote in the Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner.

Mr. Clements, CEO of Freestar Media LLC, said the town would gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road than allowing Justice Souter to own the land.

The proposed development, called the Lost Liberty Hotel, would feature the Just Desserts Cafe and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America, Mr. Clements said. Instead of a Gideon's Bible, each guest would receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

Mr. Clements said the hotel must be built on this particular piece of land because it is a unique site, being the home of someone largely responsible for destroying property rights for all Americans.

"This is not a prank," Mr. Clements said. "The town of Weare has five people on the Board of Selectmen. If three of them vote to use the power of eminent domain to take this land from Mr. Souter, we can begin our hotel development."

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