The East Ridge City Council will meet on Thursday, Feb. 13 at City Hall on Tombras Avenue. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Last month, the council had considered cancelling the meeting due to lack of business. However, on Feb. 4, the East Ridge Industrial Development Board met and took no action on a development agreement between the City and Dynamic East Ridge, LLC.
The agreement would provide incentives to developer Roshan Amin to move forward with the construction of a Marriott hotel at the corner of Ringgold and Frawley Roads.
During the IDB meeting, Mark Mamantov of Bass, Berry & Sims, the attorney for the IDB, told Chairman Ruth Braly that one option would be to pass the issue to the East Ridge City Council. The IDB took no formal vote to do so and adjourned without action.
Records show that during the Border Region Act era every preceding incentive package and development agreement the City has entered into with private developers has had the blessing of the Industrial Development Board.
Through an open records request, East Ridge News Online obtained an email sent from attorney Russell W. Gray representing Exit One, LLC, the developers of Jordan Crossing, to Braly and other city officials.
The email states in part: “As you are no doubt aware, Exit One opposes approval of Mr. Amin’s Project. It opposes that approval in light of a preexisting ground lease between Exit One and Mr. Amin’s entity, Dynamic East Ridge, LLC, for development of that same hotel on property owned by Exit One. Work on that project had already involved significant ground work and engineering work, commitment from investors, and approval of the franchise by Marriott.
“Exit One submits that the IDB should avoid incentivizing developers such as Mr. Amin to abandon projects operating under an existing approved agreement with the IDB (such as the agreement between IDB and Exit One). Such an incentive could cause more disputes among parties to a development, significantly delay projects, and entangle the IDB in disputes among parties to a development.”
Click here for the link to the full council agenda: http://www.eastridgetn.gov/getattachment/Government/Meetings-Notices/2020-0213-agenda-packet.pdf.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2TEfSvn-uxl5urJDA13w-h9pzGS498953Fl7gDx33JGvMauWfK0c_w_2E
