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Orlando drops church lawsuit, moving MLS stadium

By WTOP Staff

KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The City of Orlando is dropping eminent domain proceedings against a church that had been holding up construction of a new downtown Major League Soccer stadium, and is opting instead to adjust its planned location.

Mayor Buddy Dyer announced the decision Monday along with Orlando City Soccer Club officials. The city is purchasing an additional parcel of land that will allow it to move the location of the new stadium one block west of the original site, leaving Faith Deliverance Temple untouched.

Church officials said last month they didn’t want to sell their property, which sat in the middle of the planned development for the $100 million stadium.

That came as a surprise to city officials, who had been in negotiations with the church to purchase its land. It had previously offered the church as much as $4 million for its land, but it was rejected. The city filed eminent domain proceedings in May.

Dyer said that after the church announced that it would fight that lawsuit, and because of “the unpredictable cost and timeline that could come with the legal proceedings,” city officials began to look for alternatives. They found one when financial services company BBIF expressed interest recently in selling its property.

“With the sale final and a thorough due diligence process completed just last week, we determined that shifting the soccer stadium to the west was possible and actually presents a better opportunity for the city, the team, Faith Deliverance Temple and our residents,” Dyer said.

Andrew Prince Brigham, an attorney for Faith Deliverance Church, said the city’s decision was “an answer to prayer and victory for property rights.”

“The church made a decision that it was not going to be about the money,” Brigham told The Associated Press. “In defending their property rights, Faith Deliverance Temple told the city ‘No, you can’t take the property.’ At times it’s not all or nothing question. We found out the City of Orlando could move forward, but it had to be resourceful.”

BBIF is located where the Carver Theatre — which was demolished in 2005 — once stood in the predominantly African-American Parramore district.

Orlando City SC will play its first MLS season in 2015 in the Florida Citrus Bowl. Construction on the new 19,500-seat stadium is scheduled to break ground this fall. The City of Orlando will own and operate the new stadium. Orlando City SC is contributing 50 percent of the costs for construction, as well as for any cost overruns.

The team plans to move into the new facility in time for the 2016 MLS season.

“We applaud the mayor for finding an alternative solution that is a win for everyone involved,” Orlando City President Phil Rawlins said in a statement. “We recognize the rich tradition of the (Parramore) community and its deep connection to residents. Therefore, we will incorporate elements into the stadium, such as the Carver name in respect to the legendary theatre that resided there on the site many years ago.”

The team said the basic design of the stadium remains unchanged despite the location adjustment and that the new site will includes enhanced match day experiences including additional plaza areas and parking.

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Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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