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Developer Drops Plans To Raze University of Maryland Golf Course

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- A developer is abandoning his proposal to build a mixed-use project on part of the University of Maryland golf course.

The Washington Post reports that Brian Gibbons informed university president Wallace Loh in a letter that he was walking away from the unsolicited proposal. Gibbons cited growing opposition by political leaders, saying he did not mean for the project to become controversial.

Several county and state elected officials opposed the plan, including Attorney General Douglas Gansler, a Democrat who's running for governor. Opponents said the golf course was a valuable community facility and that developing it would divert attention from the redevelopment of downtown College Park.

Gibbons had proposed building a road with housing for faculty and staff, office space, an arts center and retail.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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