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Carmel's controversial $5 million carousel plan removed by city council

Posted at 9:18 AM, Sep 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-19 09:50:26-04

CARMEL, Ind. -- The Carmel City Council dropped its controversial $5 million carousel proposal from its development package in a meeting Monday night. 

The decision to drop the carousel came a few weeks after the Carmel Finance Committee announced they wouldn't support Mayor Jim Brainard's proposal. 

The carousel was part of a plan to bring a luxury hotel, improvements to a gold club and new storage buildings to the city, among other projects. 

Those other projects are still in effect. The amended $71 million plan passed with a 5-2 vote. 

More than 1,500 people signed an online petition against the carousel. 

The petition was spearheaded by Tim Hannon, a doctor who has lived in Carmel for 19 years.

"Our point is not that these projects should not be brought forward,” said Hannon. “Our point is there are alternatives to taxpayer funding and we should look at using dollars for more worthy projects like city fire, police, education, etc."

The carousel in question was an antique, hand-carved Dentzel carousel built in 1907, one of about 150 left in the world. 

PREVIOUS | Carmel proposes $100 million in new projects, including new carousel, hotel, and yes, roundabouts | Carmel debates hotel, carousel development | Carmel Finance Committee voices displeasure over proposed $5 million carousel

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