Rome’s Legion post gets new commander
On Saturday night, Rome’s American Legion Post 5 swore in new officers for the 2019-2020 year after a catered dinner by Shane’s and live music.
Commander Steve Rood handed over his role as commander to Eddie Hines who will now lead the ShanklinAttaway Post. Rood will continue to serve with the legion in other capacities.
This may be the post’s last officer ceremony at their Shorter Avenue location, as the process of selling property continues. There has been no solid offer as of yet, Hines said. The local Legion cannot re-establish itself until it gets the money from the property sale, he said.
A deal to sell the American Legion Post 5 property to Butler Properties collapsed in July 2018 after R.H. Ledbetter Properties revealed their plans to redevelop the Kmart property at Turner McCall Boulevard and Hicks Drive.
The original deal also included some Shorter University property adjacent to the Legion post as well as a sliver of land owned by the city. The German grocery chain Lidl had been revealed as the lead
tenant for that site, but put off plans for increasing its presence in the region.
Lidl has also put plans for a major Southeastern distribution center in the Highland 75 Industrial Park off I-75 in Bartow County on hold pending the success of retail development.
The Georgia DOT had also been concerned about putting a new traffic signal at the entrance to any development on the Shorter Avenue site because of its proximity to the light at the Second Avenue and Shorter Avenue intersection.