The Durham City Council unanimously accepted an agreement with Duke at its meeting Monday that will lead to the construction of a new $44-million downtown performing arts center.
Durham received a donation of $500,000 from the University as part of the agreement and will receive an additional $1.5 million for the arts center upon the city's approval of Duke's proposed changes to Anderson Street.
In recent weeks, some members of the city council have voiced concern over what they deem to be the "quid pro quo" nature of the University's $2-million deal with the city to control a portion of Anderson Street.
Duke's donation comes weeks before the city will finalize plans for the arts center and approximately a month before the Council is slated to vote on the University's Central Campus rezoning.
Durham Mayor Bill Bell said city funds were too tight to be allocated toward the $44-million project.
"The City Council, at this time, is not willing to put any more city dollars toward [this project]," Bell said. "Duke was willing to support this effort."
The mayor also responded to editorials in The Herald-Sun that cited the possible influence of the donation on the upcoming vote on Central Campus rezoning.
"There is no quid pro quo agreement," Bell said. "Anderson Street is a public street and will remain a public street."
Other City Council members such as Eugene Brown weighed in during the discussion. Brown said he would remain "unbiased and unbought."
"Regardless of what people have said in the past, this is not a carrot and a stick," he said.
Council member Thomas Stith, however, was less optimistic.
"If [this agreement] is not quid pro quo then I don't know what is," Stith said. "I am very concerned that the council would put itself in this position."
Mike Woodard, who was elected to the Council a year ago, said his vote on the letter of intent in no way reflected his attitude toward the University's management of Anderson Street.
"It's been disappointing that the University and the zoning committee have not been able to reach a conclusion," Woodard said. "Let me be clear, I do not view this as giving Anderson Street to Duke."
Woodard added that his acceptance of the $500,000 donation does not reflect an approval of the rezoning of Central Campus.
Council member Howard Clement also supported accepting the donation.
"I don't have to apologize," Clement said. "I haven't said a thing about Anderson Street. That is for a later decision."
In other business
Durham City Council recognized the Duke's men's soccer team's ACC Championship and North Carolina Central University's undefeated football team.
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