Mr. Thompson, please don't go. Please, take our money.

The Doomsday clock is ticking

But he just might, if he doesn’t get what he wants from Norfolk City Council, namely a master development agreement tomorrow.

Norfolk City Council isn’t rushing into this $126 million deal with suave hotelier Bruce Thompson because its members want to put something past the public.

The rush to seal the deal is being forced by Thompson. If Norfolk doesn’t put up, he will walk, according to sources familiar with the situation.

And if he walks, not only will a hotel and conference center for a plot of pavement that’s been vacant for eight years collapse, so will some careers within the city collapse. 

Really, this IS Bruce Thompson

So will Mayor Paul Fraim’s legacy, if the deal is stalled, delayed or shelved. This may be his last chance to add this project to his legacy of rebuilding downtown Norfolk.
Mayor Fraim and his supporters are on the verge of having a panic attack if the deal is quashed. The press would eat them alive. 

The public, understandably complacent in this town, would say “told you so” in the comments section of Pilotonline.com.

Bruce Thompson, ever the negotiator, will probably sue the city to recoup some of the money he has invested so far.

Sources tell me it’s about $6 million.

But who can trust sources?

But I suspect the pressure is mounting. Too much is at stake: prestige, money, power and a legacy that is swiftly falling from its Olympian heights.

“You have to feel a sense of urgency to move these projects forward,” Mayor Fraim told The Virginian-Pilot.

“Time kills these projects. They all have a certain gestation period.”

Well, time didn’t kill…

The Granby Tower; the federal government and the economy did.

Time didn’t kill the original proposal to rehab West 21St Street. The economy did.

Time didn’t kill Waterside. Yet. 

In fact, the public was invited to comment, and the public did respond.

Yet, on the eve of this historic vote by Norfolk City Council, we are asked to believe in the wisdom of our City Council and their skills and talents to make the right decision.

Bunkum.

They have known about it since September, so the ones who are now stonewalling – or seemingly stonewalling in the press – should be given a medal for acting disingenuous.

They have known since September. It was on the street last December and in the press when the city announced the deal March 1.

City Council knew about this deal 7 months ago and now some of them seemed shocked and amazed…

Others are phlegmatic about it. And one actually said something rational.

You know that $2.5 million the city anted up at the last minute?

I think Thompson was going to walk. So the city gave him some more money to stick around and stick it to us.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 

Editor of The Daily Newswanger