The lengthy dispute over ownership of land near the site of the future George W. Bush Presidential Library was finally put to rest earlier this summer when SMU settled with former condominium owners.
The dispute was between the university and former owners of the University Gardens complex that occupied the land.
The issue began when SMU, through Peruna Properties, bought up the entirety of the complex in December 2005. The lawsuit arose in 2005 when the former owners accused the university of duping the owners into selling their property.
The suit, which was played out publicly in the last four years, had the university portraying the condominium owners as money grubbers, who were trying to profit off a legitimate deal. The owners, on the other hand, painted SMU as swindlers taking their property from under their feet.
The case even garnered national attention earlier this year when Texas District Judge Martin Hoffman ruled Bush would have to give a deposition in the case, should it go to trial.
If the case had gone to court it would have been the first time a former president was dragged into a state civil suit.
The suit came to an abrupt end in July when SMU settled with the landowners.
Judge Hoffman was scheduled to give a key decision, but the prospect of losing or further delays prompted both sides to strike a deal.
Mark Lanier, the university’s lead attorney, told The Dallas Morning News the university will have the title over the land.
The exact terms of the deal were kept confidential, but Lanier told DMN, SMU offered more than $2 million in previous settlement talks.
SMU President R. Gerald Turner is relieved to be moving forward.
“Obviously, we’re relieved to get all of this behind us,” Turner said in a statement. “The major thing it means is all the effort that’s been going into this issue can now be redirected.”
According to DMN, Bush officials do not currently plan to use the land to build the library, but do acknowledge it was under consideration at one point.
With the lawsuit settled, the Bush Foundation will now maintain control over all land surrounding the future library. Under current plans, the area will be used for landscaping around the library.
Mark Langdale, president of the Bush Foundation told DMN, “I’m just happy that the issue got resolved because it was painful for SMU and it kind of clears the air so we can move forward without anyone asking questions, although it never did impact our fundraising.”
