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April 19, 2014
FERRY CAPTAIN JAILED PAGE B1
Mayor could cast deciding vote
Developer: Mall in ‘tenuous’ position
The mayor has abstained from mall votes so far, but could cast the deciding vote on May 6. KevinDuggan@coloradoan.com
After staying out of the Foothills Mall fray for more than a year, Mayor Karen Weitkunat might join the debate about proposed changes to the redevelopment agreement for the ailing shopping center. Weitkunat said she might participate in the next City Council discussion on a request from Alberta Development Partners to amend the agreement and timeline for releasing $53 million in public funds to
support construction of the longawaited project. “It’s a possibility,” Weitkunat said. “I don’t know the ramifications of getting involved at this point. I need to talk to some people and get more information.” Weitkunat’s vote would break a possible 3-3 council tie whether to approve the proposed amendments. Council members on Tuesday voted to table the proposal and take it up again May 6. See MAYOR, Page A6
By Pat Ferrier PatFerrier@coloradoan.com
Demolition work continues Friday at Foothills Mall in Midtown Fort Collins. ERIN HULL/THE COLORADOAN
SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT
5 HURT WHEN CAR HITS SCHOOL BUS
NEW BELGIUM BREAKING GROUND BUSINESS » Fort Collins’ largest craft brewer, New Belgium Brewing, will break ground on its Asheville, N.C., brewery on May 1. » Page A10
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Colorado State Patrol troopers and a Larimer County sheriff’s deputies investigate Friday morning, after a Toyota Solara rear-ended a stopped school bus on Larimer County Road 82, northwest of Wellington.
Crash Site
V. RICHARD HARO/THE COLORADOAN
By Jason Pohl
JasonPohl@coloradoan.com
WELLINGTON — The driver of a
Toyota that slammed into the back of a Poudre School District bus Friday morning remained hospitalized but in stable condition after a crash that injured three Wellington students and the bus’ driver. The students injured were among nine riding to Eyestone Elementary and Wellington Middle school when the 24year-old female driver of the Toyota Solara crashed into the stopped bus shortly before 7 a.m., northwest of Wellington. The unidentified woman was
airlifted to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, where Colorado State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis said she remained in stable condition Friday afternoon. The students and bus driver were treated and transported via ambulance to Poudre Valley Hospital; they were later released, Poudre School District announced Friday afternoon. When it was hit, the bus was parked and waiting for 13-yearold Brianna Meyer on Larimer County Road 82 at Bandana Lane. “It sounded like a shotgun,” See BUS, Page A8
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See TENUOUS, Page A6
Hamilton Reservoir
AWARD WINNING DESIGNER, TOM LINENBERGER 287
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Buckeye Rd (County Rd 82) Terry Lake Rd (County Rd 15)
State patrol: Three students and bus driver suffered minor injuries; car’s driver is hospitalized but stable.
40901 02101
Developers of Foothills Mall hope that with more dialogue, more answers and more study, Fort Collins City Council will amend the city’s $53 million finance agreement that would clear the way for the $300 million project. Council members on Tuesday tabled a vote that would have reduced the amount of space developers are required to lease to receive the first installment of $53 million in public financing from the sale of bonds by Don Provost a metropolitan district. Don Provost, principal of mall owner Alberta Development Partners, said Friday he was “disappointed we didn’t have a different result on Tuesday,” but he is focused on the May 6 council vote that could keep the project on track to open for the 2015 holidays. “Certainly the overall project is in a tenuous position right now, subject to getting something resolved here,” he said. If Alberta receives the first round of public funding in three weeks, the project will remain on schedule. If it takes much longer, Provost was unsure of the ramifications. “We had every intention of walking out of Tuesday and moving ahead and executing” the sale of bonds, he said. “We are evaluating schedules at every possible level to understand ... what the potential schedule impacts are. We don’t have much time to sort that out, but we’re in the process of doing that.” As of last week, Alberta had leased 90,000 square feet, about 17 percent of the project, and expects to have about 195,000 square feet leased by May. A couple more retailers have signed this week, Provost said. Mall developers have declined to say which tenants have signed with the mall, citing the complexities of leasing agreements and competition. “We are at a fairly urgent
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By Kevin Duggan