They may be owners of a flower chain, a pawn shop and a small property, but they're ready to try their hands at hotel ownership.
The owners of three downtown businesses that have bickered with Sinclair Oil officials over the proposed Little America expansion are offering a solution: Let them do some of the building.The deal proposed Thursday is that the three businesses build a 12-story executive tower on the northeast corner of the South Downtown Survey Area - 500 South and State Street. They would then lease the upper floors and rooms to Earl Holding, owner of Sinclair Oil and Little America.
Attorneys for the business owners said they'd work with Holding to ensure the tower decor would be "identical" with the rest of Holding's proposed hotel/convention center.
The executive tower was actually Sinclair's idea. It's one of the proposed buildings for a five-star hotel complex, complete with gardens and public areas.
Bob Wilde, attorney for property owner Stuart Nelson said the plan would accommodate all players. "It allows Sinclair and Little America an opportunity to build and develop and allows my clients to retain their right to property," he said.
"We want to build that building and own it. . . . What we didn't use we would lease back to Sinclair Oil," said Mac Livingston, owner of the Flower Patch chain.
Livingston and the two other business owners want to put a flower shop in the lobby of the executive tower, but they aren't certain what other businesses they want on the lower floors. "Not a glass shop and not a pawn shop," Livingston told the Deseret News before the meeting.
Nelson told the RDA board he has met repeatedly with Sinclair officials and has "jumped through about as many hoops as a person can jump through" to work a deal.
The businesses asked the city's Redevelopment Agency not to take action on the blighted area until negotiations with Sinclair officials are completed.
Braunberger said he doesn't know how long the negotiations will take.
"There are only four owners here," Braunberger said. "With this plan all may be accommodated."
Sinclair official Neal Stowe said the company is in favor of looking at possibilities.
Earl Holding, owner of Sinclair Oil and Little America, said in a letter to the RDA he has increased the offer for the Flower Patch property at 502 S. State from $266,000 to $500,000. Negotiations for a retail store in the proposed convention center or one in a downtown mall are also being discussed as a compromise.
Livingston got the letter offering him $500,000, but he ignored it. "We aren't responding to that offer . . .. Our offer now is to build the building."
Livingston sent Holding a letter Thursday outlining his offer and inviting Holding to discuss it with him, Livingston told the Deseret News.
RDA chairman Tom Godfrey said he's optimistic about the negotiations.
Last year, Sinclair Oil asked the RDA to do a blight survey on the area before asking the agency for help in acquiring the land to build the center.
The RDA in December declared Block 34 blighted. Livingston promptly filed a lawsuit challenging the RDA's decision. Livingston and the other business owners have repeatedly told the RDA they shouldn't go forward with hearings on the matter until a 3rd District Court judge has ruled in the matter.