The real problem is the fact that the city attorney is absolutely incompetent and incapable of giving the council sound guidance. We will have Ned Williamson to thank for the years of legal bills to come.. Oh and let's not forget friend Fritz whose ego is only matched by the depth and breadth of the size of the list of personal agenda items we must listen to ad nauseum. Lets face it they have always felt they can write and change rules at their pleasure. Heaven help us, these fools certainly won't

It's really too bad Hailey is throwing this project to the dogs, and I don't mean the New York lawyers. As is happening all over the country, once the banks take over Sweetwater the entire site will fall into disrepair; the landscaping with cease, the snow plowing will stop and any signs of life will disappear. Hailey really screwed the pooch on this one, all in an effort to collect a few bucks protecting their illegal, low income housing provision. I know everyone sees the obvious outcome too all this, I just can't understand why the City Council and the outspoken, normally level headed Keirns's could push this so far as to let all side lose. There are no winners if the project continues down this path. But there will be lots of losers, most noticeably the citizens of Hailey. Oh well...at least we'll get to watch the long, drawn out, expensive lawsuit empty the cities coffers, I'd guess a million in legal fees would be a good start. Fortunately the Council is not afraid to stand it's ground, so the entertainment value of the lawsuit should last for a number of years. Yep, nice work on the Council's part....somehow I think it might have been smarter to give this Adam's character a little room to breath. It wouldn't have cost the City a penny, but now...it not only going to get very, very expensive, but the project will never be finished and the existing homes will be a blight for years too come. It's just so stupid that a few big ego's let this disaster happen. Maybe with the next election cycle we can find some new council members who have the citizens of Hailey's best interest in mind, and are wiling to compromise instead of fight. A battle of this proportion is futile, and as always, will end in the compromise that should have happened in the first place.

cry me a river, if it worked how much $ would have you turned around to Hailey ? some plans are thought thru --- yours!!!!!! GO HOME

While we should have no sympathy for Mr. Adams, why is our city in a position to be bargaining against lawsuits? Both parties should have seen the inevitable litigation coming, due to prior rulings within this state. The developer signed a contract he should uphold, but Hailey should loose the ridiculous "affordable" housing ordinance. Sun Valley (city) spent a lot of dough loosing this fight years ago and it sounds like McCall did too.

This guy Adams must not be too bright. He has a real good local lawyer who he insults by threatening to bring in a "New York" lawyer.

It is amazing the hatred and disrespect for and Independent Self motivator who obviously was very fortunate in life with wonderful success being dissed over the economical failures created by politicians bent on breaking the American Middle Class of this nation, (Clintons NAFTA-GATT) (Bush WARS) (Now OBama Cap and trade-and forced health care).. By utter fools. This free market system is being wiped out. No Middle Class no Country, no Freedom, no opportunity for the advancement in life as this person had for your selves. Of course I doubt any independent private business owners are lambasting J. Kevin Adams in this thread, most likely it is a bunch of Employee mentality's who never risked anything to get ahead in life..I suggest they go enjoy their futures, picking cotton for the government, go watch the soup bowl lines and perhaps you appreciate the dying breed of Independent Middle class self motivators more..

because of lawyers, doctors wont even help people injured in a wreck or dying of a heart attack. hey lawyers , are you happy with your stinking legacy?

While many of you may not like Sweetwater, the developer, the prices, the color, the location, etc., you haven't seen the likes of what a normal failed project looks like.

This developer has done an excellent job of maintaining the exterior why the units sit unsold and vacant.

He has had landscaping crews maintain the grounds, plant new flowers and make the project look as good as it can be while trying to work through the various issues, including the economy.

This all takes money and lots of it. From the landscapers bills, water, electricity, etc.

I haven't studied all the issues, but it appears that the end result will be a terrible outcome for all parties involved.

Being a builder and/or developer is a very high risk business. Recently some of the best, most seasoned and reliable builders in the Seattle area have gone bankrupt. Many of these industry leaders have been in business for more than 30 years.

Having any project go back to the bank normally doesn't have a happy ending.

I was active in the real estate market when the prime hit 21% and saw similar things happen. Even helping, consulting and working directly with the banks never had as good of outcome as working with the builder/developer that had the original vision and desire to make it a success.

Say what you want, point fingers at who like, this isn't a positive story for our community.

Hopefully the bank won't let it turn into a slum - but if they can't get final approvals either the units will sit vacant.

Cash is currently king and chances are the bank will hold on to theirs versus maintain the property in it's current condition. Only time will tell.

No joy should be had by this story as it serves no benefit to anyone.

so sad for Hailey....all the surrounding cities around us have been blessed with progressive leadership from developers who have taken a risk to build projects that have brought jobs for their people and revenue from visitors and class to their communities...and look who we have leading our pitiful city..we aren't going anywhere..What future developer will ever come here ? We are an ungrateful, ignorant ,flawed, dishonorable, stagnant community of people. I may have to move to Bellevue, SunValley or Ketchum.

How did Adams come to Hailey in the first place? My bet -- he got snowed by someone who lives here. Then he puts his money where his mouth is and builds units based upon information he got from where? Hailey, of course. Then the economy turns sour.
The City has ripped these people off big time. Why should Hailey return the $1.7MM to Sweetwater the City hustled off of them and cancel all of the affordable housing provisions in their agreement?
1. The economy has certainly driven the value of Sweetwater units down making them "affordable". Adams has publicly stated that he plans on selling these units at a fraction of their orgiinal asking price;
2. The Hailey affordable housing ordinance is just like other Idaho town ordinances that have been ruled "illegal" as being unconstitutional. The Hailey City Council should stand up and say "We should have never asked for the affordable housing commitments in the first place since we now know doing so is "wrong".
Hailey should make every effort to keep Sweetwater? It's the least Hailey should do since Hailey received a property with a value of $1.7MM from Sweetwater three years ago that Hailey should have given back the minute Idaho courts ruled the ordinance unconstitutional.
And what about the future of investment into Hailey? If I were a developer, I would run the other way rather than deal with the likes of the City Council and its attorney.
Real amateurs.

This Sweetwater disaster was pretty much inevitable.
An economist I am not but I am fairly good at "connecting the dots." Please consider the "dots" below. 1. Bank of Idaho failed last spring. 2. Many homes in the valley in foreclosure and new homes built not selling. 3. People having real difficulty finding jobs. 4. Now, the complete collapse of Sweetwater. Add it all up and it says "STOP."
Some of the fat cats and boosterism rah rah good ol boys are still in denial but the Wood River Valley is feeling the effects of the national and global economic downward spiral. No, we are most decidedly not recession proof.
We cannot get ahead of the curve on this MESS with the failed boom and bust policies of the past that have obviously failed. The dark economic climate will be with us for a considerable number of years and it is absolutely not the time for Hailey City Government to make a horrendous blunder and annex Quigley Canyon. It would be an economic and environmental disaster. Wrecking the last undeveloped side canyon in the Wood River valley would be a travesty.
Perhaps the silver lining in the Sweetwater debacle will be that it is incontrovertible proof City Governments must put the brakes on and deal with the new realities. Time for progressive new thinking.

No, people do not have a right to affordable housing. And people do not have a right to own a home. If you want to own a home or you want to live in a nice place, work hard. I did. I worked 3 jobs for many, many years to buy my house. I got a 30 year fixed mortgage that I could afford. I had roommates to help pay my mortgage. I did not by a bunch of toys or a new car or travel or have kids. We live in a society which rewards hard work and smart decisions. Live with the decisions you make and don't blame others for your poor situations.

No, people do not have a right to affordable housing. And people do not have a right to own a home. If you want to own a home or you want to live in a nice place, work hard. I did. I worked 3 jobs for many, many years to buy my house. I got a 30 year fixed morgage that I could afford. I had roommates to help pay my morgage. I did not by a bunch of toys or a new car or travel or have kids. We live in a society which rewards hard work and smart decisions. Live with the decisions you make and don't blame others for your poor situations.

I hope Adams goes bankrupt, what a loser, go back to Tennessee and don't come back. SweetWater is lame, horrible location, no one is going to buy those for the outrageous prices he has listed.

It's no doubt that we are in this situation... City politics are keeping the people paying higher and higher rent. I wonder how many people are going to be living in tents and trailers in the near future! We finally get some extra housing in the valley then the politics shoot it down. Maybe we should check our aim!

Dont let the door hit you on your way the %^&%$ out of our sweet valley . People from Tenneessee should not be developers nor should they live here . You better head back .Today would be nice ........

Mr. Adams signed off on this deal before he broke ground. Someone (maybe his lawyer/liar) should let him know that the court will throw out his lawsuit on the grounds that he made the agreements. He can not then go back and sue after the fact. He should have done so BEFORE he signed off on it. He entered into a crontract and then reniged, for whatever reason.
He will throw good money after bad as I am sure some lawyer/liar will convince him he has a case. That's what lawyer/liars do!

Mr Adams (former Tennessee Titan),

Ha, ha.
Can you say "Idaho Range Justice"?
Now just go away, don't come back another day.

another unfinished housing development eye-sore. Lets anex more property so this can happen again elsewhere.
This was a bad plan from the start. And I sick of hearing about affordable housing in the valley. SHOULDNT WE ALL BE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING!!!
I agree with kw. a spud field would look better that that "project"

So now its the councils fault for YOUR bad business decision? Bye!

Where`s he getting the money for this hot-shot lawyer? Personal stash? Let`s burn Bitterwater and grow spuds.

New York City!? Them's fighting words!