Councilman Dan Johnson Joins Roundtable Discussion on Louisville NBA Team

Phillip M. Bailey — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:14:55 +0000

Louisville Metro Councilman Dan Johnson is joining a panel discussion in downtown Friday on bringing an NBA team to the city.

The roundtable will feature Jefferson County Judge Executive Bryan Matthews and attorney J. Bruce Miller, who has been an advocate for bringing professional basketball to the city.

Mayor Greg Fischer has also been a vocal proponent of bringing the NBA to Louisville, but he's faced criticism from University of Louisville officials. Supporters are optimistic, but a study by a pair of media executives outlined how the cost of the NBA outweighs the benefits.

From WHAS-11:

A new study from Cambridge Economic Research showed a relatively unfavorable impact that an NBA team could have on Louisville.

It concluded that Louisville could not sustain a pro franchise.

Johnson Accused of Trying to Buy Colonial Gardens as City Funds Economic Study

Phillip M. Bailey — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:08:29 +0000

Louisville Metro Councilman David Yates, D-25, is raising ethics concerns about allegations that fellow Councilman Dan Johnson, D-21, made an offer to buy the historic Colonial Gardens property in the midst of a city funded feasibility study.

The council spent $14,000 to study the economic viability of the Iroquois Park corridor—the southwest Louisville neighborhood that contains the property. Five council members, including Johnson and Yates, contributed to the grant from their Neighborhood Development Funds for the non-profit Southwest Dream Team to commission the feasibility study.

In a July 23 letter to Johnson and the county attorney, Yates says constituents have told him that Johnson, who is a real estate agent, is seeking to buy the property and profit from any redevelopment projects.

"My concern lies with the possible ethical implications of what may appear to be an attempt by you as an elected official to profit from the purchase of said property. Let me be clear, I do not have firsthand knowledge, other than your statement, of any wrong doing; nor am I making any allegations that you acted with malice."