Slidell backs off plan to buy the largely empty North Shore Square Mall site

After weeks of signaling its intent to purchase the largely dormant North Shore Square Mall — and even passing a new sales tax on purchases in the area — the city of Slidell said Tuesday it will back off and "allow private investors to lead the redevelopment."

The city announced its plans in a news release. The city's decision comes against a backdrop of a hotly contested mayoral election.

Mayor Bill Borchert has made the redevelopment of the mall property one of the key talking points of his campaign. Borchert, a former City Council member who became mayor in January when Greg Cromer resigned, faces Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal in the special mayor's election on Oct. 11.

Borchert said Tuesday in an interview that the city only recently learned that another company, which he dec