After a meeting between the Chelsea Community Development Group and Gov. John G. Rowland's Chief of Staff Dean Pagani, the governor's spokesman reiterated Rowland's support for the consolidation of Three Rivers Community College on Mahan Drive.

But Ron Aliano, lead developer for the downtown proposal, remains confident the college ultimately will end up along the waterfront. He expects the $72 million Mohegan campus proposal will fall through and his proposal will come to fruition.

"After assessing the situation, we are as confident as ever that the community college will be built in downtown Norwich," Aliano, lead developer of the Chelsea Community Development Group, said.

Aliano and members of the development team met with Pagani for one hour and 45 minutes Thursday morning in Hartford, focusing on Aliano's $62 million downtown college plan.

The governor's Director of Communication Chris Cooper said Rowland recognizes that "Mr. Aliano and a group of people who care a lot about Norwich want to see something happen downtown."

But "one of the hopes the governor had in coming to a final closure of the debate about where to consolidate the college is that maybe there would now be an opportunity to move forward with some other kind of development for downtown," Cooper said.

Aliano blamed Mayor Arthur Lathrop for the lack of support he received from the governor's office.

"It's tragic, but the vacillation of the mayor has caused the consolidation of the community college to be delayed by four years," Aliano said after the meeting. "But once the real analysis of the site is completed and the bids come in, they will see it just won't work on Mahan Drive."

Aliano said since the mayor did not express specific support for the harbor site and the previous City Council had passed eight resolutions in favor of it, "mixed signals went to Hartford."

In response, Lathrop said he is not responsible for the failure of the harbor plan.

"It is the governor's decision to consolidate Three Rivers Community College at Mahan Drive," Lathrop said. "I understand the Chelsea Community Development Group's disappointment that the harbor site was not chosen, but it is both incorrect and unfair to blame me. Most people in Norwich, however, appreciate the positive result of having the community college stay in our city."

Cooper said Lathrop's lukewarm support did not play a role in the governor's decision.

"The primary factors in his decision was the OPM report and the recommendation of the two most cost-effective sites that will appropriately serve the students and the region," Cooper said.

Aliano contends the state will not be able to construct the new campus on Mahan Drive for $72 million. He predicted it could cost as much as $165 million once the state acquires the appropriate permits and completes work needed to manage the water table on the site.

Development group member Andre Messier said improvements likely will be needed on residential roads near the college because of increased traffic.

"I don't believe they can accommodate the traffic flow without widening the roads and that can't happen without taking some residential property," Messier said.