Chancellorsville land sale - third in a series

Here's a summary of what we know about the Chancellorsville battlefield deal as of Friday. I am distilling Bob Hagan's email, published here Sunday, and adding some points.

(1) The terms of the deal between Tricord and Civil War Preservation Trust enabling Tricord's battlefield land buy were still under discussion as of Friday.

(2) The deal, as it now stands, involves "the direct sale of 80+ acres [to CWPT] and an agreement to preserve an additional 55 acres currently zoned commercial" - in sum, 145 acres. "Preserve" suggests an easement on the 55 acres. Thus, protection will be split between acreage owned by CWPT outright and acreage under restrictive agreement.

(3) CWPT is making its (contingent?) transaction with Tricord first, funds from which will enable Tricord to buy the land from owner John Mullins.

(4) Mullins' offer to Tricord expires Dec. 31. This purchase option will not be renewed.

(5) Before then, the rezoning has to be approved by the Board of Supervisors (target date: Nov. 9); then a 30-day appeal period has to be observed; then appeals have to be dealt with; then the legalities of the deal between Mullins and Tricord have to be concluded (the closing has to occur).

(6) Tricord/CWPT sale or easement arrangements happen sometime after Tricord closes on the battlefield land.

Now these items of interest are gleaned from Mr. Hagan's email:

(a) "Mr. Mullins would not ... directly" sell to CWPT. As previously said in this corner, CWPT antagonized the seller, so we have this work-around. It is possible - I don't know this - that Mullins' intent to let the option die is a result of Tricord having brought CWPT into the picture.

(b) "I have spent several hours this afternoon (and up until a few minutes ago) working on the project as it relates to road access issues presented by VDOT. This has been an interesting process with as many advances and retreats as any Civil War Battle." If Bob Hagan loses his fight with VDOT, road access will configure the property in unexpected and perhaps unwelcome ways.

(c) As late as Friday, Mr. Hagan's involvement in the preliminary Tricord/CWPT deal opened a window into what appears to be difficult talks ("I have spoken to both Tricord and CWPT several times today") the sale elements of which seemed to have taken distinct shape at the end of last week. That is a surmise.

Interesting, how long negotiations between Tricord and CWPT have gone on since this deal was publicized.

A countdown is in the offing with a starting pistol set to fire (or not) November 9. Stay tuned.