Norfolk City Council votes to enter closed session to discuss MacArthur Center Mall redevelopment and legal advice

The Norfolk City Council voted on July 14, 2026, to enter a closed session to discuss the award of a contract related to redevelopment of the MacArthur Center Mall and to receive legal advice about a proposed local sales-tax pledge for certain school construction projects, Clerk Clark said.

Clerk Clark read the statutory basis for the closed session, citing the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and telling the council the matters fell under provisions allowing private discussion of contract negotiations and consultation with counsel. Clark read that the closed session would cover “discussion of the award of a contract pertaining to the redevelopment of MacArthur Center Mall” and legal consultation about “the approved pledge of the local sales tax increase by referendum for certain qualifying school construction projects.”

A council member recorded in the transcript as a lawmaker asked the council to consider moving into closed session first because of time constraints. The Chair objected to that sequencing. After the clerk called the roll, members recorded as Platt, Dolan, Johnson, McKee, Pigg, Nigo, Thomas and Dr. Alexander each replied “Aye,” approving the council’s entry into closed session.

The council’s publicly stated reason for closing the meeting was to protect its negotiating position on the redevelopment contract and to obtain legal advice on the possible local tax pledge for school construction. The transcript does not record details of the substance discussed during the closed session. Time permitting, council members said they expected to return afterward for a city planning update.

The council’s stated next public agenda item was a monthly city planning update, and the Chair then moved the meeting into a reports segment that began with the police, indicating the public portion of the agenda would continue after any closed-session business.