NEWS 25 has been following this story and talked to arena project coordinators to find out the implications of this move.

NEWS 25 obtained a copy of the paperwork which lists intentions of holding a lien against the hotel for $127,200. It was filed last Wednesday with the County Recorder, but the man behind this action tells NEWS 25 his intention is not to hamper the building of the new arena.

Since 1975 the law office of Evansville attorney, Ron Freson has been inside the Executive Inn, on Martin Luther King Boulevard. Tuesday NEWS 25 obtained the document, which states Freson's intent to hold a lien against the hotel.

NEWS 25 went to talk to Freson to find out more about his intentions. He did not want to issue a public statement but tells NEWS 25 demolition of a section of the hotel violates his lease agreement which doesn't expire until 2012. Freson says he wants to be compensated for damages and expenses his firm will suffer, with him losing his office space, and having to relocate.

"Mr. Freson is the only tent ant in the part of Executive Inn that is to be demolished and we know he has a lease and he's been trying to negotiate with the owners, Mutual Bank for sometime," says John Kish, Evansville Arena Project Coordinator. Now Freson is left to negotiate with the hotel's new owners, United Central Bank, who took over the property after the FDIC got involved with the hotel's previous owner's, Mutual Bank.

"The financial ramification of that negotiation are between him and the owner of the real estate and we're buying it free and clear of claims." 

NEWS 25 asked Kish, "Is this going to hold-up the demolition process?"

Kish says "We're confident that it will not interrupt the schedule for demolition." He did tell us demolition is about three weeks behind schedule, due to the FDIC involvement, and part of the hotel should come down by the third week in September.

We did talk to a United Bank spokesperson who would not comment about the lien because of the sensitive nature. The Executive Inn's new General Manager tells NEWS 25 it's still business as usual at the hotel until the sale of the property is finalized.

Source: http://www.news25.us/Global/story.asp?S=10990021