Council green lights National Harbor homes

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005

by Tiesha Higgins

Staff Writer

After a two-month delay, the Prince George’s County Council unanimously approved the development of 2,500 homes at National Harbor, the $2 billion mixed-use development under construction at the edge of the Potomac River in Oxon Hill.

The council’s decision Tuesday came after months of speculation that the residential portion of the project being constructed by Fairfax, Va.-based Peterson Companies, was held up to increase the stake of minority participation in the project.

The Peterson Companies and The Gaylord Entertainment company, which is building the resort hotel and convention center for the project, agreed to reserve 30 percent of the project’s contract awards for minorities last summer.

Minority equity in the 225-acre hotel, retail and restaurant development project and the ratio of residential development that would be built have been cited by four sources — including two in county government — as reasons the bill was stalled.

Council Chairman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville has repeatedly denied those claims.

‘‘We’ve never had an issue with minority development,” said John Erzen, a spokesman for County Executive Jack B. Johnson. ‘‘We’ve always felt that Milt Peterson was going to honor the deal he signed.”

The measure to build up to 2,500 upscale homes in the first phase of residential construction for National Harbor was favorably voted out of committee with a 4-to-0 vote in May, but later pulled from consideration by Dean. The chairman was one of the council members who supported the bill in committee.

‘‘I don’t think it was that he opposed the project, but that he needed to get additional clarification [on the language in the bill],” said Nell Johnson, Dean’s legislative aide, explaining why the project was stalled.

Dean was attending the funeral of former council member Sue V. Mills at press time and could not be reached for comment.

Shortly after the bill was held, Johnson (D) said he met with Congressman Albert R. Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville ‘‘to assist in talking to some of the council members about moving the project forward.”

‘‘I’m trying to use whatever influence I have to get the project moving,” Johnson said in August.

In an effort to help Peterson fulfill the terms of minority participation, Johnson said that he and Dean met with two wealthy African-American business owners who are interested in participating in the project. He later introduced the unidentified individuals to Peterson.

The bill was amended to take out language that would have allowed the developer to use 5 percent of the land abutting the property if needed.

E-mail Tiesha Higgins at thiggins@gazette.net.