OSU trying to use eminent domain to acquire property: KTEN-TV10 Dennison TX, 9/20/06

Oklahoma State University (OSU) is trying to use eminent domain to obtain the final piece of property it wants for its planned athletic village.

OSU's governing body, the Oklahoma A & M Board of Regents, filed suit on August 16thn Payne County District Court, seeking to obtain the Stillwater property now owned by a real estate company known as McCloskey Brothers.

The company filed a counterclaim on September 5th, saying the board did not make a good-faith effort to buy the property and that the property wouldn't be for public use, as is necessary for property obtained through eminent domain, but for a privately owned hotel and conference center.

McCloskey Brothers also claims the board is in violation of the state constitution because a majority of its members are not farmers. A hearing in the case is scheduled for October 5th

Randall Elliott, an attorney for the board, says a potential jury trial to decide the fate of the land, and perhaps its price, could be a year away.

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KTEN-TV10 Dennison TX: http://www.kten.com