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Strife Sinks National Harbor Bill
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In an interview, Muse said he had been working on behalf of minority business owners, some of whom say they have been shut out of the project.
He said he was disappointed to learn from a recent report delivered to the Prince George's County Council that, though Peterson has met a pledge to the county to give 30 percent of work to local or minority-owned businesses, only 12 of 361 contracts were issued to minority-owned businesses in the county.
"It was discouraging," he said. "I was trying to figure out how I was going to satisfy the contractors and Peterson."
Muse declined to comment on the meeting with O'Malley.
Johnson, meanwhile, argued that Peterson had met the minority business participation guidelines outlined with the county.
"I'm especially concerned that we don't get a reputation of being a hard county to work with," he said yesterday.
Peterson did not respond to requests for comment. But in a statement yesterday, National Harbor spokeswoman Bridget Graves said project officials were "grateful to the majority of Prince George's County Officials who have been overwhelmingly supportive of our success at National Harbor."
"We will continue to work with local officials to ensure that all the quality amenities coming to National Harbor will be able to obtain the necessary licenses," she said.
O'Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese said the governor remains "committed to doing all that he can to help promote National Harbor."
The dispute has no impact on the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, the 2,000-room centerpiece of National Harbor that opened last week. It is operating on a temporary liquor license, and approved legislation allows the hotel to seek a permanent license.
The dispute is the latest development in a souring relationship between some politicians and the developer of the largest project in county history. Many were upset by the minority participation numbers in the council report.
Then, two weeks ago, Peterson was quoted in a local newspaper as saying "people in Prince George's are always saying, 'We don't got no classy restaurants.' Well, you do now, sweetheart."
