Neighborhood Leaders and Watchdog Group Cry Foul In Stadium Impact Talks

At a Wednesday community benefits meeting, tensions exploded after neighborhood leaders learned Chairman Bond and the mayor’s committee representative said the plan the group had been working on for months was already making its way through City Council for approval.

“Based on past experience in this city, when there’s a big push, there’s something being hidden, there’s some process that’s not following the letter of the law or allowing all the players to have input in the process,” said William Perry, exectuive director of Common Cause Georgia.

For months, the committee has worked to develop a plan to divvy up millions in community redevelopment money. The process must be completed before $200 million in city funds can go to help build the new stadium.

Reed and Bond say they want to see the community benefits process wrapped up in time for the Council to vote on it Dec. 2, its last meeting before holiday break.

Neighborhood leaders, however, say the plan is still far too vague to be approved. Next committee is scheduled for Monday at 5:30 p.m. Reed is planning to attend.