A developer has pledged to donate land for a transit station along I-85 near Norcross -- if the state approves his plans for video gambling on the property.
Developer Dan O’Leary announced Friday he’ll donate 9 acres worth more than $4 million for a transit station near the I-85-Jimmy Carter Boulevard intersection. O’Leary has an option to buy 122 acres near the intersection, where he plans to build a $1 billion entertainment complex.
The donation is contingent on the Georgia Lottery Board of Directors’ approval of his plans for video lottery terminals on the site.
The prospects for that approval are uncertain. The Georgia Lottery board, appointed by the governor, has the authority to approve video gambling, but Gov. Nathan Deal has said he opposes video gambling.
Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District Executive Director Chuck Warbington said O’Leary’s pledge to donate the land fits well with the agency’s own plans. The district has long planned for a transit station on the property, currently owned by fiber optics manufacturer Optical Fiber Solutions.
In addition to gambling, O’Leary has proposed a hotel, retail shops, a spa, restaurants and a performance venue at the site.
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