By Carrie Pond
Metropolis, IL – The Metropolis, IL City Council has cleared the way for a local group to build a living history tourism attraction in the city. The council voted unanimously Monday night to sell the old Laidlaw industrial site to the Friends of Fort Massac State Park for 580 thousand. Mayor Billy McDaniel says the group plans to use the 8.5 acres to build a period correct, 18th-century village adjacent to the park. He says demolition and construction work won't begin for at least a year because the city must clean the site to comply with EPA regulations. The city had originally hoped to attract industry, but McDaniel says the tourism dollars will also benefit the city.