Xentury City wants the county to use the dirt exclusively for the convention center-hotel venture and not for a non-related venture if the convention center was ever converted later. The commission will make its final vote on the project at a Dec. 9 public hearing.

Commission chairman Paul Owen and commissioner Ken Shipley voted against accepting the Xentury City offer. Commissioners Chuck Dunnick and Ken Smith are sticking with the developer. Commissioner Atlee Mercer, in office only two weeks, holds the crucial swing vote.

As reported previously on GlobeSt.com, an additional concern confronting the five-member commission is the information being distributed by Local 362 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union. That group alleges Xentury City's parent, Xenel International, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has ties to Osama bin Laden. Xentury City and Xenel CEO Abdullah Ahmed Zainal Alireza vigorously deny having ties to terrorist organizations.