Some Cooper-Young business owners have concerns that retail components of Liberty Park’s redevelopment could be competition.

Cooper-Young business owner Charlie Ryan expressed the concerns Tuesday, April 11, as council members got their first look at the 30-year ground lease proposed with Capstone Development LLC for mixed use development of Central Avenue frontage.

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The council could vote on the lease in two weeks.

Capstone is leasing the area the city has said will include some multi-family development as well as some retail and a hotel.

“We are all very concerned that this would be a threat to us,” Ryan told council members. “What we want to do is just protect what we created with our own money.”

The Cooper-Young business district of restaurants, bars and other businesses is part of the Tourism Development Zone — a larger area where some increment of sales tax revenue is used specifically for the development of the Fairgrounds into Liberty Park.

City Housing and Community Development director Ashley Cash said the commercial development on the southern side of Central between Early Maxwell Boulevard and South Hollywood Street includes lease negotiations for a family entertainment center and some restaurants.

She said Liberty Park is expected to bring 1 million visitors a year to the park and the general area.

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“This is additive,” Cash told the council. “We are constantly looking for ways to work with neighborhoods and businesses and make sure we are not cannibalizing existing businesses.”