Decatur councilman: 'Odds stacked against' Sweetwater

Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google

Chuck Ard said a lawsuit against a land owner by the Sweetwater developer has put a strain on... — Chuck Ard said a lawsuit against a land owner by the Sweetwater developer has put a strain on the agreement. (Source: WAFF file)

Time is running out on the current manifestation of the Sweetwater project, with at least one Decatur city council member expressing doubts the project will come to pass.

Contract requirements for the current deal are set to expire Dec. 31.

The City of Decatur signed off on a deal with Bass Pro Shops and developers earlier this year for the massive retail project, slated to be built off Interstate 65 and Highway 20.

However, two big hurdles preventing the project from coming forward appear to be the deal's undoing.

The bonds that were agreed to be allocated for the project have yet to be validated, and are not likely to happen before the deadline, said Councilman Chuck Ard.

"That is not a few-day process," Ard said. "It takes more time than we have left in the year to happen,"

Ownership over the entire venture has also been at issue. On top of that, the developer has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the land owner, citing financial disputes and alleging fraudulent dealings.

"When you have a lawsuit between the two, there is a problem. Certain things can't happen," said Ard. "When a developer sues a land owner, that definitely puts a strain on progress."

"I wouldn't say never to anything, but the odds are stacked against (Sweetwater)," he said.

The Sweetwater development has been in the on-again, off-again stages since 2008.

Sweetwater could possibly be a topic of discussion when the council convenes Tuesday for its first meeting of the month.