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Sunday, March 2, 2008

TIF, eminent domain, and.... belly dancers?

Star Tribune Sun, 02 Mar 2008 04:18:46 GMT
Is this last dance for Cedar Grove businesses?

A judge will decide soon whether the city of Eagan can use eminent domain to take property for a redevelopment. Eloisa Beyer sways to the Mideastern music, trying not to think of how her bellydancing job might be lost, along with dozens of other jobs to make way for a big redevelopment in Eagan. For her, the city's contentions that the redevelopment will create new jobs comes at her expense. "I wouldn't have anywhere to go," she said of the unemployment she faces if the Mediterranean Cruise Cafe in Cedar Grove is torn down. "I would not know what to do. It would affect all of us." She's talking about the dozen bellydancers who work part-time at the restaurant, the biggest venue for bellydancers in the metro. The dancing has helped restaurateur Jamal Ansari build a loyal following at his cafe, where he employs 30 workers in all. The city of Eagan wants to condemn the cafe and five other businesses by using an eminent domain law to take private property for public use.

[[keywords: LandUse;Metro;]]

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