* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:05]
          TODAY'S JUST A REALLY SPECIAL DAY FOR BOTH JEFFERSON PARISH AND ORLEANS PARISHES KNOWING THAT, UM, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS INCREDIBLE LAND HERE THAT WE SHARE. 
          THIS PROJECT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP AND THE TRUTH, SIMPLE TRUTH, THAT WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER TODAY WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON PARISHES HAVE FINALIZED THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PARISHES. 
          THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ALWAYS WANTED A, A SIGNIFICANT, LARGER AMOUNT OF THE PROCEEDS, AND THAT RIGHT THERE, LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT DEAL, THAT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN, UNFORTUNATELY, IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS DEAL TO NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. 
          SO I CHOSE PROGRESS OVER DELAYS. 
          I CHOSE, UH, UH, PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY, UH, OVER, UH, GETTING A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS WE WERE GETTING NOTHING. 
          THIS IS REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE PROGRESS THAT CAN TAKE PLACE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. 
          SINCE KATRINA, REALLY, IT'S JUST KIND OF BEEN STUCK IN, UM, LIMBO BECAUSE IT, IT WAS DIFFICULT. 
          IT WAS DIFFICULT THAT THE STATE OWNED THE WATER BOTTOM LEASES. 
          JEFFERSON PARISH HAD A PIECE OF THIS LAND. 
          ORLEANS PARISH HAD A PIECE OF THIS LAND AND CREDIT TO, YOU KNOW, MAYOR MORENO WHO JUST SAID, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU GUYS WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND MOVE FORWARD AS A TEAM. 
          UM, AND IT REALLY BROKE THROUGH, UH, YEARS OF DISCUSSIONS AND JUST GETTING THIS MOVING. 
          WE ASSOCIATE THIS WITH RE WITH RESTAURANTS, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE RESTAURANTS. 
          I MEAN, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AS A SOCIETY AS FAR AS EN ENJOYING NATURE AND APPRECIATING NATURE. 
          SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO PRESERVE GREEN SPACE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S PARK-LIKE IT'S ALL CONTROLLED BY THE CORE OF ENGINEERS . 
          SO WE'RE GETTING ALL THESE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO, TO COME TOGETHER. 
          IT, IT, IT'S A, IT'S AN EXTREMELY HEAVY LIFT. 
          AND TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS, IS, IS REALLY NOTHING SHORT OF MONUMENTAL.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.