Odessa Looks to Grow Downtown
“As Odessa continues to grow, officials are looking to bring a convention center and hotel downtown. However the idea of expanding and bringing in new businesses is proving to be a problem because there’s not any open land in downtown to build on. So could the city ultimately use the power of eminent domain, taking the land from those business owners?
City officials say, yes, there is always a possibility that cities could possess the power of eminent domain, however Odessa officials say right now, that thought isn’t even on the table.
“To develop downtown you’re going to have to have an anchor, if you’re going to bring people back to downtown,” said Odessa Mayor David Turner.”
Lanmon, Lauren. CBS7 News 1 May 2014.