John Eby on the Banks

The Editorial board asked:

Do you consider the Banks deal to be the city’s number one development priority and do you expect to support the deal the Banks Working Group has been negotiating? Does it matter to you if the deal is finished before or after Election Day?

My Response:

Someone once wryly noted that there are two things that keep government from accomplishing its goals - politics and money.

The Banks working Group was formed to remove politics from the equation. It was formed so that the development experts could hammer out an intelligent agreement to benefit the entire region. One developer - One vision for our riverfront that will bring architectural, design continuity and engineering innovation.

My fear is that if this deal is not done before the election, politics (and politicians especially) will delay this project another ten years. The Banks is THE development project for the region. It is going to be the economic engine that drives our city and the county for the next ten years.

It is time to get this deal done.