Council May Consider Center City Purchase

This week the Louisville Metro Council could consider a resolution that would bring the Center City project closer to completion.Council President Jim King told council members he wants to speed up the purchase of land downtown for the venture. During the budgeting process, council Republicans opposed spending money on Center City without more details about the project, which would essentially be an extension of the Fourth Street Live entertainment district.The city has a tentative agreement with the Baltimore-based Cordish Companies to complete the project. The agreement includes leasing the land to the developer.Center City would be in Democratic Councilman David Tandy’s district. He says the council will have oversight on certain aspects of development.“I have no reason to personally believe that the project would not go through, would not be completed as it’s been presented to us in the past," he says.Council Republicans say they’re reluctant to spend the money without seeing final plans or a development agreement with Cordish.“We want to know what kind of a deal are we getting ourselves in to and is it a deal that we believe is one that moves us forward?" says Council Republican Kevin Kramer.Democrats outnumber Republicans on the council 15 to 11.