ROANOKE RAPIDS — Going, going, sold — almost. On a split 4-1 vote, the City Council agreed Tuesday night to sell The Roanoke Rapids Theatre to a group led by Northampton County native and Chicago businessman Lafayette Gatling for $12.5 million.

todd wetherington | daily herald Chicago businessman Lafayette Gatling, right, stands with, from left, business associates Thel Davis Jr., Anna Kurowskaiy, Wayne Pierce, Ernestine Buck-Fulham and Velma Holloman, as they await the beginning of this morning’s public hearing at Roanoke Rapids City Hall. Advertisement

The sale is contingent on the city receiving a $625,000 bid bond and the formal posting of the sale to give others a 10-day opportunity to make a counteroffer.

The decision came after two public hearings during with council members heard citizens, for the most part, voice their support for the concept.

The agreement is actually a lease-purchase deal with Gatling making monthly payments to the city. If all the payments are made in a “timely” manner, Gatling would receive a $1 million discount in the purchase price.

Councilmembers Carl Ferebee, Ed Liverman, Ernest Bobbit and Ed Deese vote to make the deal with Gatling. Councilman Jon Baker voted against the sale. Under city law, Mayor Drewery Beale does not vote unless the council is deadlocked. More details will be posted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Morning hearing

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Lafayette Gatling was pleased with the comments at this morning’s public hearing and said he is committed to making The Roanoke Rapids Theatre and Carolina Crossroads a success.

“It makes me feel good to do business here,” Gatling told the Daily Herald following the first public hearing. “I look forward to it.”

The second public hearing will be tonight at 7 at the Lloyd Andrews  City Meeting Hall on Jackson Street. While the first floor conference room at city hall was packed during  the morning hearing, there were only a few speakers.

Those who spoke supported Gatling’s bid to buy the struggling venue in a lease-purchase agreement through a limited liability corporation.

Gatling said he could not predict how soon he can have the theater open, and hopefully spur development in Carolina Crossroads. He said, however, he looks forward to trying. “It’s all about business,” he said. “It’s hard to predict. I’m going to hit the ground running. The people here spoke from the heart.”

Gatling’s entourage began the public hearing, with Gatling Community Development Inc. Director of Corporate Development Ernestine Berry Beck-Fulgham giving a summary of Gatling’s holdings and development in Chicago and Country Club Hills, Ill.

She said Gatling will be the president of the limited liability corporation that proposes to buy the theater. “Most of the comments we have heard are who are these folks and how can they take such a big job so you don’t have déjà vu,” she said.  “(Gatling) is successful in Chicago and internationally. His business development sense goes beyond the funeral home business.”

Country Club Hills is where Gatling has 500 acres of land that is a successful commercial development including a Wal-Mart and Guitar  Center, along with three banks and a Loews Theater.  The development includes other businesses such as an ice cream shop, hair salon and cellular telephone providers.

In Illinois, Gatling is also developing a 36.8 acre tract that will include senior apartments, 18 houses for employees, along with a 500,000 square foot outlet shopping center with 140 stores. Construction will begin in the spring, Beck-Fulgham said.

Gatling is also considering a casino on the Illinois property and is planning to build a 14,000-seat entertainment complex.

Hugh Bazemore, chairman of the Theatre Advisory Committee, told Council it studied all the tax returns and statements of Gatling’s partners.  “We find them most capable of running, leasing and purchasing the theater in the most capable manner,” he said. “We have seen his funeral parlors. We found all the sites in remarkable condition. All the people had ultimate respect for Mr. and Mrs. Gatling.”

Bazemore said through meeting Gatling and his associates, “We learned all of their business expertise and found them to have unquestionable character and integrity. Their vision has been a significant part of their success. They will allow us to reach the vision we had for Carolina Crossroads in the beginning and help us reach our dream. They will help us pay off our bond obligation without increasing our taxes.”

Bennett Taylor, of Northampton County, a longtime friend of Gatling, was the person who told him about the struggles of the theater. “It seems everything he touches turns to gold. I want to be connected and am connected to a man like that. Any time you put God first you will be successful.”

Longtime resident Tom Myrick told Council, “We need to get out of this situation. I hope Mr. Gatling brings a battery and a set of jumper cables to get us started.”

Ernest Barner, a local real estate agent, said, “I’ve looked at the things presented and one word comes to mind, phenomenal.” Looking at Gatling’s Chicago developments, Barner said, “The dream here was not done overnight, it was done over time. He had to start  with a vision. If you have vision, you can make it come to pass.  We do have a gentleman and family who has vision to make this work.”

William White, a Roanoke Rapids attorney, said he reviewed the Gatling proposal and his proposal was the only one which was committed to making Carolina Crossroads and the theater a success. He encouraged Council to adopt a resolution to approve the deal. Roanoke Rapids resident Jim Frazier said the theater remains the city’s chance for economic development. “What happened was we turned the operation over to an entertainer who knew nothing of a business plan,” he said of Randy Parton. “Now we have a local person (Gatling is originally from Northampton County) who can bring millions a year to the treasury to relieve those taxpayers.”

Marion Moore, a former theater employee, said he would like to see the theater re-open and hopes Gatling will consider hiring the other former employees. Roanoke Rapids resident Rick Gilstrap said city council should bond on the matter. “We have to make the best of it and move ahead.”

Resident Kimberly Lowery told Council, “My only agenda is I’m being flat taxed out of my underwear.” Lowery said taxes have increased so much, many residents have to make crucial decisions on whether to go with or without their medicine, or to move from Roanoke Rapids. “I want to stay in town because it’s a nice town.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Drewery Beale told the audience the city made mistakes in its past theater dealings. “We went so fast. maybe we went too fast,” he  added later, “We probably should have walked a little slower. I still have as much faith in the theater as I did when it was built. I support the Gatling proposal. We need to come  together. We’ve got to solve the problem and move forward. Once it’s resolved, we can go back to doing the things City Council needs to do- and that is the city’s business.”