Excellent: The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s City Hall reporter Katie Leslie is livetweeting today’s hearing of the citizen challenge to the Atlanta Falcons stadium bond sale, starting like 15 minutes ago. Among the highlights so far:
Among points, attny Woodham says City Council didn't have right to extend hotel motel tax for stadium b/c state hadn't issued needed docs.
— Katie Leslie (@katieleslienews) November 3, 2014
This legal challenge is to the city's plan to issue those bonds. Until this issue is resolved, they can't be issued and given to stadium.
— Katie Leslie (@katieleslienews) November 3, 2014
Extra tension to this: Woodham is a bit of an infamous attorney in Atlanta known for challenging bond deals. Judges are def familiar w/ him.
— Katie Leslie (@katieleslienews) November 3, 2014
Now that construction is well under way, what is the recourse if the court says the bonds are illegal?
I think this ends in the developers and owners suing the municipality. “You promised us $X, now we get zero; we’re suing you for double the amount you promised.”
I can see them winning a suit like that.