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4. <br />at this point, is unrealistic, in view of the amount of land that <br />we have to dispose of yet, in addition to the lawsuits and other <br />factors." <br />"There is also the additional situation that we need to face, <br />and that is, in all probability, we will not be able to market <br />the land at the price at which it was originally contemplated <br />we would be able to get for it. I would suspect that in order <br />to accomplish the kind of efforts that we would like to see in <br />the downtown area, it will be necessary to make a number of con- <br />cessions. We have to be realistic and understand that this is <br />all a competitive kind of thing, and that if it is the desire <br />of the people to have the downtown be a large retail market <br />area, then the conditions that are necessary to provide this kind <br />of activity are going to at least have to be on a par which can <br />be accomplished elsewhere. We can't expect retailers to pay a <br />premium to be in the downtown area at the current time, and, if <br />we hold that kind of view, we are going to be looking at a lot <br />of vacant land for a long time." <br />"Whether you like things or not, you have to accept the facts of <br />realism as it is, and you have to deal with the kind of world <br />situation that you have, and I think that is what we are looking <br />at here. How it will all come out, it is difficult to say. One <br />thing about this whole process that I have certainly noted over <br />the years is that we do not have control of the whole operation. <br />The way the thing philosophically is put together is that we try <br />to create a climate that will encourage the private sector to move <br />in and actually do all the developing. We are not developers. <br />All that we can do is create the situation that will allow the <br />development to take place. Well, this has to happen first, really, <br />and we have operated according to a plan that would accommodate all <br />the essential elements that would make this development possible and <br />favorable. Unfortunately, the time table was such- -and the economic <br />situation that developed was such - -that many of the things that were <br />anticipated to happen didn't happen. Whether they would have happened <br />under other circumstances is moot; there's no way you can handle <br />that. What we have to do is deal with what we have now, and that, <br />essentially, is what.we are looking at." <br />The Chair asked Mr. Brownell if he had any further comments to add <br />or to report on any comments made by the City Council on the pro- <br />posed plan, and Mr. Brownell advised that it was agreeable with <br />the Mayor and the seven (7) members of the City Council present <br />in Caucus, to go ahead the submit the plan to HUD, which he said <br />he did as requested. <br />Regarding further questions by the news media, the Chair advised <br />the financial plan for Project R -66 that Mr. Brownell has worked <br />out through June, 1980, can be met if the City Council approves <br />it, but there is no way that we can meet the close -out date of <br />August 10, 1976. <br />- 4 - <br />