MASON CITY – The Mason City council approved a deal with Gatehouse Mason City, LLC, for a hotel and an out-of-town architect to design an arena inside Southbridge Mall.
The deal with Gatehouse Mason City, LLC, passed 5-1 with councilman Joshua Masson against.
The deal with ICON Architectural Group, LLC, out of North Dakota, passed 6-0. It was said during the meeting that local architects had been passed over by City Hall for consideration in this plan.
A Mason City property owner and long-time citizen who watched the council meeting from start to finish told NIT, “What I watched was pretty much astounding. The lies, half-baked truths, and self-serving statements that sputtered out of the mouths of most nearly everyone that spoke at the meeting – including elected officials – was staggering. The few truth-tellers with common sense were ignored. The lack of foresight and planning to please state officials, local officials and un-elected influencers and players who stand to gain wealth and ice time, was palpable in this outcome. The soap opera continues. Let us pray the taxpayers and the community as a whole reap a decent outcome in the near future.”
Gatehouse will get a check for $100,000 from the City of Mason City to get started with their process of hotel design and planning.
Plans for the so-called “multi-use” arena in the mall will begin to be drawn up.
As the City prepares to inject millions of dollars in upgrades to the mall (arena and pavilion), City officials do not seem to be concerned that the owner of Southbridge Mall possibly broke laws in writing checks that bounced to cover overdue taxes.
The Mason City police department told NIT that no one has contacted them about the alleged bad checks submitted by Southbridge Mall Realty Holding, LLC, although the county attorney’s office may be investigating. The county appears to be pursuing legal action and a possible tax sale early in December of the Southbridge Mall property.
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History lesson:
