Motown cancels on council

Representatives of Motown Technology & Sports Facility, Inc., the Michigan-based firm that plans to build a $300-million sports and entertainment complex on Vandalia’s west side, won’t appear at tonight’s city council meeting, city officials said this afternoon.

Kenneth Bardwell, chairman and executive officer for Motown, told officials Saturday afternoon in an e-mail the company would seek to reschedule because of a death in Bardwell’s family.

Under a contract approved in May, Motown had until last Thursday to provide city officials with proof that it had secured funding for the project. Motown asked the city for more time to secure funding for the project and representatives were expected to talk more about those negotiations at tonight’s public meeting.

“I certainly hope that you and the City Council will give Motown Sports the needed extension in our agreement without that we would not be able to complete our feasibility study and the financing,” Bardwell’s e-mail stated in part. “But if the City chooses not to give us the extension then we will regretfully move on. Both sides have a lot to gain and certainly a lot to lose.”

Officials have not rescheduled the discussions, but JoAnn Givens, director of economic development for the city, said Monday that discussions with the firm are “open-ended.”