City of Charlottesville v. DeHaan

This is an appeal in a declaratory judgment proceeding that involves an issue rooted in the Constitution of Virginia. Martin H. DeHaan and others challenged efforts on the part of the City of Charlottesville to promote the development of a hotel-convention center in the Vinegar Hill Redevelopment area of the City. The proposed complex had an estimated construction cost of $23.9 million. The developer, Charlottesville Properties, Ltd., was required to advance $2.0 million in earnest money and to borrow $12.4 million from a private lender. The remaining $9.5 million was to be lent to the…