Henry Commission making another attempt at convention center/arena deal

Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford in January objected to a Henry County proposal to de-annex a portion of its Jodeco project for a convention center and arena.

Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford in January objected to a Henry County proposal to de-annex a portion of its Jodeco project for a convention center and arena.

Henry County leaders may try again this week to move forward with plans to bring a convention center and arena to the south metro community.

A memorandum of terms between Forest Development Group and the Henry County Commission is on the commission's Tuesday agenda. The memorandum would layout terms for the county to build the convention center and arena at a mixed-use development Forest is proposing to build.

The move comes four months after commission leaders faced fierce pushback from the city of Stockbridge  over a commission proposal to build the facilities in Stockbridge. The commission wanted Stockbridge to de-annex some of the land at its Jodeco mixed-use site to build the convention center and arena.

Stockbridge , which was still reeling from a two-year de-annexation and cityhood fight with its Eagle’s Landing community, balked.

"Over my dead body, you're not going to get it," Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford told the commission at its January meeting.

“De-annexing is a bad thing, especially after our last year,” he said.