“It really is just for the two groups to make presentations for the public … and an opportunity for (City Council) to ask questions,” East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas said. “There’s really not going to be deliberation about it; it’s just presentations.”

DTN Management Co. Vice President and former MSU offensive lineman Colin Cronin said a new urban planner gives his company an edge in the selection process. Cronin’s vision is that the Park District would be transformed into a “crown jewel connector between East Lansing and MSU,” that would increase diversity among students and citizens.

“The biggest (difference) between us and Lurvey White is … we’re bringing all the private parcels to the table along with the city’s public land,” Cronin said. “Does the community want to do a large-scale project, or do they want to do a smaller project?”

Lurvey White Ventures Partner Ridgway White said East Lansing, being an active community, should seek a developer that is open to suggestions and is capable of turning a vision into reality. He said his company desires to convert “a historic downtown, that’s a few miles down and one block deep, to something that has density and a sense of community.”

“Our company has focused historically on doing projects that not only have basic underlying real estate fundamentals, but are kind of a game-changer or catalyst for the community,” White said. “That’s what we view this project as.”