Patti Dozier/Times-EnterpriseCarol Whitney addresses city council members at the Wednesday workshop. 

THOMASVILLE — After years of discussions about pros and cons, dealing with two potential developers and hearing public sentiment, Thomasville City Council put a proposed events center and hotel on hold.

The council will ask the Florida company handling the city’s state-mandated, 10-year comprehensive plan to decide what is best for the site at South Dawson Street and Remington Avenue.

The decision came at the end of a Wednesday council workshop, when City Manager Steve Sykes told council members, “I just need some direction.”

The city had discussed development of the site with a Nevada developer, but negotiations ended last fall. The city has signed an agreement with a local firm, Southern Lodging LLC, but the agreement must also be signed by the downtown Downtown Development Authority and city council.

The city purchased the property, the site of a Roses store, in 2013 for $1.8 million.

The Southern Lodging agreement said the city would pay the company up to $25,000 for the planning process, which would include meetings to gather public input.

A request for bids to demolish the building is being advertised.

In addition to an events center, a parking garage and hotel were proposed for the 3.8-acre site.

“The city would own the events center and related parking. The developer would own the hotel,” Sykes said.

The city would deed to the developer land under the hotel, but would not agree to pay the hotel owner to cover times when hotel occupancy was low.

Haile McCollum, Thomasville Planning and Zoning Commission chairman, reiterated to the council her preference the project be handled through a public process that could be done through Dover Kohl & Partners, the Miami, Florida, company organizing the comp plan.

“I would like to see it open to Dover Kohl,” McCollum told the council.

Carol Whitney told the council she is in favor of a hotel that would match the caliber of the adjacent historic district and downtown Thomasville.

“I think you need to wait to sign this agreement,” Council member Max Beverly said.

The council did not vote to put the project on hold until receiving an opinion from Dover Kohl, but it was the consensus.