NewsWest 9
MIDLAND - Rumors have been circulating about the Energy Tower. Pictures of two towers, instead of one, have even been published, but to the Midland City Council they hadn't seen anything, until now. The idea was two towers, one 22 stories and the other 20.
"I think it went great. I think we today, the City council, and those who were in attendance, got the opportunity to hear where Energy Tower is today and what they're proposing. We need to get this project moving if it's going to go forward, if not, then we need to just end it and begin moving, doing other things that we need for our city," Midland Mayor, Jerry Morales, said.
On Tuesday morning, Energy Related Properties presented their ideas. The Energy Tower project has been a long process so far. There were even talks of canceling the project all together, but for now, they're still trying to move forward.
"We're going to continue with a development agreement which ties down the specifics of the project. Make sure that the details that the community requires is a part of that agreement," Scooter Brown, Vice President of Energy Related Properties, said.
"This group is willing to invest over $300 million. This could be a billion dollar impact to our economy over 10 years so there are good things but where are they, where were they today? We needed to hear those things," Morales said.
No final decision was made since not all of the council members were present, but Jay Ross Lacy, district 4 chair, is standing firm with what he thinks should happen.
"If they want to build it, that's fine, but spend your own money. I don't get government subsidies to go drill an oil well so I don't think a developer should get to build a building downtown," Lacy said.
