When I became mayor, people would always ask me, "What has been you biggest surprise about being mayor?" And I always say the legal. Provo is tied up in so many lawsuits. Well, today, we put one of those legal messes to bed. In fact, it’s better than that. We have some good news — sort of beauty from ashes. I’m pleased to announce that the parking lawsuit is being dismissed.
In addition to the lawsuit being resolved, the eminent domain filed by the county to obtain Provo's portion of the old RC Willey block will also be dropped. By working together, we have been able to negotiate not just an end to the legal battles but also some good news.
I am pleased to announce a new development right here in downtown Provo. We’re going to have new office buildings, more public parking, and housing that we hope will be attractive to many people, including our young single professionals.
I want to thank the good people from PEG development for their work on this. I want to thank the county commissioners. Today is a day to celebrate cooperation and win-win thinking.
Starting today, we’re going to be spending less time and money on legal battles and focus instead on this great opportunity to see something beneficial come to life in Provo.