Cuyahoga County commissioners are expected to cut a half-million-dollar break for a private developer despite the county's own financial woes that could result in layoffs of workers.

The deal would waive a $500,000 fee that K&D Group had agreed to pay if the company could not close a deal on the county-owned Ameritrust Tower by Oct. 31.

County Administrator James McCafferty said Wednesday that commissioners will approve the waiver Oct. 28 rather than risk losing a buyer for the downtown Cleveland property.

K&D had asked for the waiver and an extension of the deadline because the company has been unable to obtain $200 million to convert the property into a hotel and offices. The company said no lenders will finance the deal because of the nation's banking crisis.

The vote will come as federal agents investigating public corruption look into Commissioner Jimmy Dimora's role in a now-defunct plan to convert the tower into a county administration complex.