Attorney: Church will fight Orlando's attempt to take its land for stadium

The family-owned church that stands in the way of the new soccer stadium has hired a law firm specializing in property rights to fight the city's attempt to take its land. (Video by FOX35)

The tiny family-owned church that stands in the way of Orlando's Major League Soccer stadium has hired a Jacksonville law firm specializing in property rights to fight the city's attempt to take its land.

City Hall filed an eminent domain action in court in 2013, after a year of failed negotiations to buy Faith Deliverance Temple. But news releases from the church's new attorney make it clear the city's attempt to take the property won't go unchallenged.

Attorney Andrew Prince Brigham said the city's action violates Florida's Constitution and state law because the land wouldn't be used for a legitimate public purpose.

"The City's proposed taking is not for a public purpose," Brigham said in a news release. "The City is simply a conduit for eminent domain to take from one private entity, a church, and transfer the use of the property to another private entity, a soccer franchise."

The announcement comes a day after Orlando City Soccer Club executives joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to unveil details and renderings of the $110-million stadium. It's supposed to be built on two square blocks along West Church Street, but the church's property sits smack in the middle.

The city initially offered $1.5 million for the property more than twice the appraised value but church leaders said that wouldn't be enough to rebuild elsewhere, and countered with a selling price of $35 million. The city eventually raised its offer as high as $4 million and the church dropped its price as low $15 million, but the parties never came any closer to a deal.

The city's failure to acquire the property already has delayed the stadium's construction. The team initially planned to begin playing in the new facility during the 2015 MLS season, but uncertainty about the land prompted the decision to play the entire 2015 season in the Citrus Bowl.

The current plan is for the Orlando City Lions to start playing in the new stadium with its home-opener of the 2016 season, in March of that year. It's expected to take 14 to 15 months to build the stadium, so construction, ideally, would have to start before January 2015, Lions Chief Operating Officer Brett Lashbrook said.

Orlando officials say the soccer stadium would serve a public purpose.

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Attorney: Church will fight Orlando's attempt to take its land for stadium