True North gets 6 more weeks to decide on downtown land plan
Company granted extension on its option deadline
A deal to develop land next to the RBC Convention Centre in downtown Winnipeg has a little more breathing room now, after coming very close to being scuttled in a public exchange of words between Mayor Brian Bowman and True North chairman Mark Chipman.
Chipman's company, True North Developments, has asked for and received an extension of a deadline for its option on a parcel of land at 220 Carlton St.
The company has a letter of agreement with CentreVenture Development Corp., an arm's-length agency of the city that specializes in downtown development.
But last month, Bowman expressed concerns about the transparency of the True North-CentreVenture deal and insisted that details of the option agreement be made public.
- Chipman fires back at mayor, puts Carlton Street project on hold
- Mayor Bowman won't publicly apologize to True North
- Mayor Bowman and CentreVenture rift widens over True North deal
That prompted a very public response from Chipman, who took offence to suggestions that True North and its partners are conducting an "untoward" and back-room deal with CentreVenture.
On Friday, CentreVenture chairman Curt Vossen said True North has been given another six weeks to consider whether it wants to go ahead with the option.
Vossen said if the project goes ahead, it would be what he calls a "remarkable" development in the downtown area.