I'm just assuming the extra labor and capital would benefit the local economy, but can't come up with details (due to being ignorant about economics). Anyway I really meant, that if all else fails, one could appeal to material benefits. The greatest actual benefit IMO would be just to have such an observatory in my neighbourhood ..

If it really is a matter of development interfering with normal life (peace and quiet etc) then I can definitely sympathize there - I cop continous city noise all the time. But I didn't think a telescope facility would be that intrusive, quite the opposite I would have thought.

Then again, I am not speaking from any expertise here - just personal reflections