Last week Leeds, Moody and the county came to an agreement that will allow the Grand River shopping development project to move forward with Leeds taking the reigns instead of sharing the burden with the other parties.

The agreement is not officially final, though, because there is still a week left in which Leeds residents may challenge the court order signed by Jefferson County Judge J. Scott Vowell.

The Grand River project has been in the works for three years now and in recent months Daniel Corporation, the property development company that will build the facility, has urged parties involved to come to an agreement because it is left paying out money while keeping the property shovel ready.

In the still-unofficial agreement Leeds will pay a total of $3 million back to the county for money put up while the deal was being negotiated and developed. Bond fees will be reimbursed to the county and added to the money Leeds owes.

Leeds will pay St. Clair County $250,000 by July 1 of 2010. Another $750,000 will be paid by Leeds as revenues become available out of taxes collected through Grand River shops. Another $2 million will be paid to the county by Leeds out of Bass Pro Shop, Grand River and an ansulary district as funds become available.

Leeds will pay at least $50,000 a year to the county for its work in helping to develop the site. Leeds has the right to prepay any of the sums as revenue becomes available.

The newest agreement also abolishes the Leeds-Moody cooperative district, which was set up to help facilitate the Grand River project.