Weaver Watch
And another thing about Waller Lansden's James Weaver. Turns out, one of the companies vying for the opportunity to develop the fairgrounds was started by his wife's father. We don't know whether Weaver's wife, Frances Martin Weaver, still receives any financial benefit from that company, Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, but we'd like to find out. Too bad Weaver won't talk to Pith.
In his letter to the Fair Board yesterday excusing himself from any involvement in the fairgrounds' deal, Weaver didn't mention his wife's connection to Colliers Turley. Must have slipped his mind.
Weaver leads a charmed existence, doesn't he? As Fair Board chair, he's helped broker a deal (strictly behind the scenes, of course) that could make a lot of money for either one of his firm's clients or his wife's family company or both. Now, he's claiming he's excusing himself because, of course, he wants to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. And the City Paper and The Tennessean, in their coverage, haven't even mentioned Weaver's conflict. What people don't know won't hurt them.
That Weaver, he's smarter than most people think.
Comments
Following Ted Martin’s passing, his family reached an agreement with Colliers Turley Martin Tucker with regard to the disposition of his interest in our firm. Mr. Martin’s interest in the company therefore is no longer affected positively or negatively as a result of our business.
Wedgewood Partners, for which I am the managing member, is a private group of experienced real estate professional and investors assembled for the purpose of relocating the Fair and redeveloping the fairgrounds. Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, for which I am also a principal, is participating as only a service provider in the roles of leasing and management.
Posted 08/06/2008 at 05:44:06 PMDouble dipping, eh Mr. Lowe? You are a principal in both companies - pardon the pun but this reeks of conflict of interest. Respectfully, Mr. Martin's interest in the company is no longer affected either way because he passed away. When was the study commissioned for the Fairgrounds? Before or after Mr. Martin's passing? A new "lowe" is reached. Interesting.
Posted 08/06/2008 at 06:51:14 PMThe guy gets on here and explains the deal and Truth Seeker rips him for doing so. With respect to Lowe's involvement, your comments show how little you know about commercial real estate development. That structure with someone being a principal in the development co. and the service provider is quite common. Also, the reason why I didn't mention Weaver's wife is because it was immaterial regardless of what Woods seems to think. That's just sniping for the sake of sniping. Weaver deserves his share of hits but still with fairness. His and his firm's conflicts far far outweigh Weaver's wife's family connections.
Jeez, I'm not sure why I wasted the time to even write this. It's really like talking to a brick wall.
Posted 08/07/2008 at 12:46:00 PMRichard, you're in the wrong business. You ought to go to work as a flack for developers. You'd make more money and it would be honest labor.
Posted 08/07/2008 at 01:00:16 PMHa ... Woods you guys definitely take after George Bush. If I'm not with you, I'm against you. That is, if I don't snipe at developers and paint them as evildoers, then obviously I'm flacking for them.
I think perhaps you guys are closet Republicans or closet Neo Cons.
Speaking of honest work, the National Enquirer might be hiring. They are pretty good at playing loose with information. And I hear they get paid a ton.
Posted 08/07/2008 at 01:49:14 PMSeriously Richard, are you telling me you don't think it's news when a guy gets himself appointed to the fair board and then helps initiate the selling of the fairgrounds to developers who are his clients, including his wife's family company? No one's supposed to wonder whether this guy's really thinking about the public interest?
Posted 08/07/2008 at 01:58:41 PMHere's another question for you, Richard. Does that nice Waller Lansden ad on the Nashville Post site have anything to do with your view of the newsworthiness of this topic?
Posted 08/07/2008 at 02:05:10 PMNot at all. But of course some people would paint the perception of conflict. And if perception rules the day, then every one of us could conflict ourselves out of anything. You guys could never write about adult entertainment businesses.
The impression I get is that the only way one can cover something is if the have no knowledge of how things work or the players involved. That seems to apply with government, too. If there's a perception of conflict rather than a true conflict, everyone must quit.
Posted 08/07/2008 at 02:23:03 PMMust be those fruit baskets Weaver keeps sending to your office.
Posted 08/07/2008 at 02:28:06 PMNo it's the Yazoo beer they send over
Posted 08/07/2008 at 02:59:27 PM