The Michigan Daily Val. XC No. 14-S Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, May 28, 1980 Ten Cents Sixteen Pages _- Developer Stegeman clears 2d obstacle By MITCH STUART Local developer John Stegeman leaped the second hurdle yesterday on the road to construction of a 32-story "multi-use" high-rise at the corner of S. Forest and Washtenaw. Owners of a tract of land vital to the project paid off the final portion of a land contract with the city yesterday. The payment, including interest, amounted to $89,536. IF THE land's owners,Jack McIntyre and Merlin Townley, had not paid the ,city by this morning, the land would have reverted to the city, which some Demonstrator arrested AP PhtQo New Hampshire state police drag a protester from the main gate of the Seabrook nuclear power plant yesterday. A total of 40 persons were arrested in the four days of protest. See Story, Page 7. Carter trounces Kennedy in Arkansas, Kentucky By The Associated Press President Carter swept past Sen. Edward Kennedy last night to runaway victories in the Kentucky and Arkansas presidential primary elections. The president looked for additional headway toward the Democratic presidential nomination in Nevada, third in a final set of skirmishes before the major, and probably decisive com- petition that concludes the primary election season next week. MEANWHILE, Ronald Reagan, the certain Republican nominee, gained the support of former President Gerald Ford. "I congratulate Ronald Reagan on having clinched the Republican nomination as our candidate for president," Ford said. "I compliment him on his very successful campaign. I have always supported the Republican nominee and will do so in 1980." At the same time, Ford "categorically" ruled out running as vice president on a Reagan ticket. There had been reports that Ford, who defeated Reagan for the 1976 Republican presidential nomination, See CARTER, Page 14 officials predicted would have meant a quick demise to the Stegeman proposal. Several people close to the deal speculated that McIntyre and Townley required Stegeman to make the final payment or forefeit his option on the land. Stegeman, Jack McIntyre, and McIn- tyre and Townley's lawyer Spaulding Clark refused to confirm or deny the speculation. THE UNIVERSITY Regents, in their February and March meetings, sold Stegeman another vital piece of land. The sale was controversial due to what some community members called the Regents' lack of interest in public input. Yesterday's payment was due in February 1979, but in November 1979 a judge ruled McIntyre and Townley could have six additional months to pay off the debt. The six-month mark is today. According to city-county tax rolls, however, .McIntyre and Townley owe $11,265 in back property taxes on the land. STEGEMAN EXPLAINED the reason behind allowing the third payment to become delinquent: at the time the deal with the city was negotiated, McIntyre and Townley were able to obtain a six and one-half per cent interest rate. City Attorney Bruce Laidlaw said negotiations on the land contract began in 1967or 1968 "It was in their best interest to delay it (the final payment)," Laidlaw said. STEGEMAN SAID yesterday he doesn't want to start fighting the project's opposition until he has finally developed his plans. He said, "The opinions I hear are all favorable." Stegeman said he thinks the project will have a very favorable reaction from students and businesses when the final plans are revealed in August. IOST ANN ARBOR residents "should be delighted" that some capital is being put into the city, Stegeman said. City Councilwoman Leslie Morris (D- Second Ward) said she is not satisfied See DEVELOPER, Page 13 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDA'*'E Ronald Reagan, who spoke to supporters Monday in Victorsville, California, at the 1980 Western Desert Gospel Sing, picked up all 27 delegates in the Kentucky primary and received the endorsement of former president Gerald Ford.