Friendship delays vote on stadium deal

ATLANTA, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned a historic church has decided to hold off on voting on whether it will accept a multi-million deal to relocate to make room for the new Falcons stadium.

Friendship Baptist Church was scheduled to vote Sunday on the City of Atlanta's $19.5 million offer to buy its property for the new Falcons stadium, but a church leader told Channel 2's John Bachman the vote was delayed for logistical reasons.

The source told Bachman church leaders were not fully prepared to present the details of the complex offer to church members.

He also said it may take about another three weeks for the congregation to vote.

Meanwhile, the rain didn't stop a group of people from rallying Sunday in southwest Atlanta over a land deal connected to the stadium.

Channel 2's Amanda Cook was nearby at the campus of historic Morris Brown College, where some Morris Brown supporters said they don't want a church moving there to accommodate the stadium.

Morris Brown supporters are upset because they said the City of Atlanta and Friendship leaders are doing a backroom deal to buy the twin towers in the college's Middleton Complex for the church to use as a new sanctuary.

The group joined hands and prayed that Morris Brown College could be saved.

About two weeks ago, Mayor Kasim Reed announced that the city reached a $19.5 million agreement to buy Friendship, reopening the possibilities to build the stadium on the south side.

One Morris Brown supporter said despite the college's financial troubles, taking the land from this school is simply not fair.

"With the plight of education, I think it's very important that we hold some of our institutions to ensure that our children of color actually understand the history and where they came from. To sell it just as means of selling it or consuming because it can, the powers that be can, is not fair," said Betty Conover.

WSBTV