September 30, 2007

We were asked to forward this important message to our membership:

It important to our city and the region that you attend and show your
support for the Banks plan at a Banks Working Group meeting on October 2
(Tuesday) at 3:00 pm. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom
Center.

Your show of support is vital to moving the Banks project forward, and
combating the special interests of a few downtown business owners.
These special interests of a few threaten those things that we've worked
so hard for over that past year --- the thousands of jobs, economic
development, and the economic inclusion and workforce inclusion of
minorities and women that the new Banks plan will bring.

The result of rejecting the plans of the Carter-Dawson team and the BWG
would be 1) a delay in the start of The Banks for at least another few
years, and could jeopardize the development ever being built, 2) the
Carter-Dawson developer team would be removed from the project and the
equal partnership including an African American developer would end, and
3) the progressive Economic Inclusion and Workforce Development policy
for The Banks project, which many of us have created and supported,
would go away.

That is why we need you to attend the Banks Working Group meeting on
Tuesday, October 2nd at 3:00pm, at the Freedom Center and show your
support. Here, the Banks Working Group will meet in a public session to
vote on the contract agreement that has been negotiated with the Carter
and Dawson developer team. This contract includes the Policy for
Economic Inclusion and Workforce Development, that we have developed
together. The contract would then go to the City Council and the
Hamilton County Commissioners for approval. Your attendance at this
meeting, and show of support, is vitally important to sending a message
to these certain "downtown interests" that we will not do business the
same old way, and that this project must begin now.

Please pass the word that we need you at the National Underground
Railroad Freedom Center, in the theatre, on October 2nd (Tuesday), at
3:00 pm.


Pass on the information to a friend.