San Diego City Atty. Claims Proposed Lease Violates Establishment Clause

In San Diego, California, the San Diego Concourse is a city-owned mid-sized convention facility used primarily for local meetings and community events located next to City Hall. It has been losing money. So the city began looking for someone new to lease and operate the Community Concourse, including its Golden Hall. In June, the city's real estate division negotiated a lease agreement with a nonprofit business subsidiary of the North Park Apostolic Church. The lease would allow the church to rent the hall from its subsidiary, which would also lease the space to community groups. Today the San Diego Union Tribune reports that City Attorney Michael Aguirre believes that the lease violates the Establishment Clause. The lease for the concourse would require the city to "convert public property to a full-time church," he said.