[1] It is also home to a large, historic clock which had previously been located at Union Station.

[3][4] Starting in 2012, the city, led by Mayor Michael F. Brennan and City Manager Jon Jennings, sought to sell the park to a private equity firm Rockbridge Capital, which was renovating the adjacent hotel.

Rockbridge sought to build a single story event center over most of the park.

However, residents (led by the Friends of Congress Square Park) drafted an ordinance which sought to prevent the sale until a vote could occur.

After collecting a sufficient number of signatures, the sale was postponed until after a June 2014 referendum.