ROSSVILLE, Ga. - City leaders announced a property purchase Tuesday they hope will spark revitalization in downtown Rossville.
The city paid $110,000 for 1.2 acres over three lots, including the Roy's Grill building, a few feet from the Tennessee line on U.S. 27.
"Maybe this will be a domino effect and get things going," Rossville Councilman Teddy Harris said.
The money came from the city's reserves and will be paid back when the property is sold, he said.
The acquisition also includes a lot behind the Roy's site and another lot across Gordon Avenue.
City leaders said the property will be deeded over to the Rossville Downtown Development Authority as part of the city's comprehensive plan.
The city essentially wants to restore the property to sellable condition without rebuilding any structures, officials said. The Downtown Development Authority then would market and sell the property to new owners.
City leaders said they hoped a restaurateur would buy Roy's and reopen it as a diner, but they are open to ideas for the other properties.
At a news conference Tuesday morning, some suggested one of the lots could be used as a park to mark the gateway to the city and the state at the second-busiest crossing on the Georgia-Tennessee border.
Ron Wade, chairman of the Downtown Development Authority, called the land purchase a "monumental move" and a "super deal" and said the opportunity to buy the property was unexpected.
The city plans to have one of the caved-in buildings behind Roy's leveled by the end of next week, Wade said, and his group already has heard from several interested buyers.
But not everyone is as enthusiastic.
Les Coffey, who owns the Peerless Mill site and long has been at odds with the city, called the purchase a "waste of taxpayer money" and said he had organized a group of investors in August to buy the property.
He attended the news conference Tuesday, but officials refused to respond to him.
"There was private money ready, and the city jumped in the middle of it," Coffey said.
Coffey said officials should be spending money to help his efforts to attract businesses to the site of the former mill instead of buying new property.
Contact Andy Johns at ajohns@timesfreepress.com or call 423-757-6324.