I just talked to Jamee Lynn Smith, a spokeswoman for the Centre City Development Corp. She said the El Cajon law firm of McDougal Love Eckis Smith Boehmer & Foley has started working to determine how many CCDC projects may have been improperly influenced by former President Nancy Graham. The lawyers will present an initial report to CCDC’s board Sept. 10, the same day it’s scheduled to consider the future of the 7th Avenue and Market Street project.
That 41-story, $409-million condominium and hotel project was proposed by The Related Cos., which has a Florida affiliate that partnered with Graham on a Florida business deal that paid her almost $3 million.
Once the initial study is done, Smith said the attorneys will take about two months to conduct their investigation, which aims to determine whether Graham’s undisclosed business interests influenced any CCDC projects during her tenure. The law firm already had a $50,000 contract; it could be expanded Sept. 10.