KINGSTON – Common council members in Kingston Tuesday night approved a $1 per month lease for the vacant lot on Broadway, site of the former Kings Inn welfare motel, for a Broadway Commons outdoor event project.
The decision was made despite protests that the deal violates the state’s open bidding requirements.
Redbird Entertainment won a two-year lease for the city owned property, for $1 per month, and is entitled to a three percent commission if the land sells during the lease period. A temporary structure called the Speigeltent will hopefully attract crowds to the neighborhood, revitalizing the local economy.
“We should be questioning why there was no request for qualifications, or requests for proposals, on the former Kings Inn site,” complained 3rd Ward resident Ellen DiFalco. “This smells of back-room deals, and it’s absolutely obscene.”
Fourth Ward Alderwoman Nina Dawson argued the project is an improvement, because the parcel created a public nuisance through loitering and drug dealing.
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