Second bidder, court case complicates city deal for shingle company

Another bidder is competing with the city over a trucking depot the city hoped to buy for a recycled shingle company.

The property, located at 2301 S. Memorial Drive, was formerly owned by JMP Intermodal, Inc. But company owner Thomas Russell got caught up in a bribery and corruption scandal at SC Johnson. The trucking depot is tied up in the $147 million settlement SC Johnson won against their former employees Milton Morris and Katherine Scheller, Buske Lines Inc., and JMP Intermodal for the bribery and corruption.

The city's Redevelopment Authority hopes to buy the depot and give it to an unnamed company that uses recycled tires to create shingles. But those plans have been complicated by another bidder, who may have the inside line on the property.

It's unclear what this means for the October announcement that the company was close to bringing 88 jobs to the city.

One source close to the deal said any sale needs to be approved by a judge, who will likely go with the highest bidder. But it's unknown how long it will take for the property to clear the courts, and that could jeopardize the deal, the source said.