That cliche proved true Thursday afternoon as former NBA player and entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson walked from the Bridgeport City Hall Annex to the site of the former Pequonnock apartments, across from the Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

Johnson was on his way to a news conference concerning the proposed $222 million Bridgeport Sound Development Project at the 11-acre Pequonnock site.

After meeting with area high school students at City Hall, Johnson, along with Mayor John M. Fabrizi, actor John Ratzenberger, assorted area officials and many residents, walked to the development site. Along the way, Johnson repeatedly stopped to talk to fans, sign autographs and take pictures.

But his real purpose for being in Bridgeport was to discuss the development project, which would combine retail space with housing units, a movie theater, a hotel and parking.

The project is a collaboration between three firms, including Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds, of Beverly Hills, Calif., in which Johnson is a partner. During the news conference, which drew close to 200 people, Johnson said the initiative fit perfectly with the agenda of Canyon-Johnson to develop properties in underserved urban communities. "We are blessed at Canyon-Johnson to be able to come to your great city to work with you to create something that will be here many, many years — even after we're long gone," Johnson said.

Fabrizi and others in the city consider the development a major boon for Bridgeport's economic development, and repeatedly praised Johnson for his involvement.

"He's somebody who doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk," Fabrizi said.

Along with Canyon-Johnson, other firms involved with the project include Vornado Realty Trust of New York and Mid-City Urban LLC, of Silver Spring, Md.

The vision for the Sound Development Project was unveiled in July. Fabrizi projects that the proposed development will generate more than $36 million in real estate taxes over a 15-year period, from construction to completion.

Building the prospective development will create about 2,000 construction jobs. Once the project is complete, it will create roughly 700 permanent jobs.

The completed development will include 260,000 square feet of retail space, a five-screen cinema, a 10-story hotel and three types of housing — 196 rental units, 110 for sale units, and 50 public housing units.

The Pequonnock apartments, which included more than 250 public housing units, were torn down in 2002.

Johnson said he was impressed with local and state officials and their commitment to improving Bridgeport. "Everybody here came together, having one common goal," he said. "That was making sure this project got developed."

Staff writer Keila Torres contributed to this report.