Clayton County is gearing up for a possible lawsuit against a developer who promised to build an $800 million mixed-use project in Lake City, but failed to deliver. The county has hired a law firm to represent its interests in the potential litigation.
The Roman: A futuristic vision that turned into a nightmare
The project, dubbed “The Roman”, was announced in August 2022 by Roman United, a company led by Jacques Roman, a former college football player with no prior experience in real estate development. The Roman was supposed to be a futuristic complex with four high-rises of about 25 stories, an office tower, a hotel, a 7,500-seat amphitheater, and a $4 million small business incubator. The project was touted as a game-changer for Clayton County, which has struggled to attract major investments and jobs.
The county officials were so impressed by the proposal that they paid Roman $559,000 to start work on the incubator, without conducting a thorough background check or verifying the financing sources. They also agreed to lease 30 acres of county-owned land to Roman for 99 years at a nominal fee.
The Roman: A series of red flags and revelations
However, the project soon raised a series of red flags and revelations that cast doubt on its feasibility and credibility. An investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that Roman had a history of financial troubles, including unpaid taxes, liens, and lawsuits. It also found that Roman had no concrete plans or contracts for the project, and that his partners and consultants had either quit or distanced themselves from him.
The investigation also exposed that Roman had misled the county officials about his background and credentials. He claimed to have a degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech, but the university said he never graduated. He also claimed to have worked for a company that installed artificial turf, but the company said he was only a subcontractor.
The county officials soon realized that they had been duped by Roman, and that the project was unlikely to materialize. They decided to cut ties with Roman and demand a refund of the $559,000 they had paid him. They also sent him a notice to vacate the county-owned land.
The Roman: A potential lawsuit and a lesson learned
Roman, however, refused to comply with the county’s demands, and insisted that he was still committed to the project. He accused the county of breaching the contract and interfering with his business. He also threatened to sue the county for damages.
The county, in turn, decided to hire a law firm to represent its interests in the potential litigation. The Clayton Commission approved the hiring of Anita Wallace Thomas, of the law firm Nelson Mullins, on Tuesday. The county agreed to pay at least $375 an hour for Thomas, $280 an hour for any firm associates, and $135 per hour for paralegals.
The county officials said they regretted their involvement with Roman, and that they had learned a lesson from the experience. They said they would be more careful and diligent in vetting future developers and projects. They also said they hoped to recover the money they had lost, and to find a better use for the land they had leased to Roman.
