Equity Bank makes play for Bank of Blue Valley

Equity Bancshares Inc. is making a play to acquire the preferred share debt that Blue Valley Ban Corp. accrued through the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. Blue Valley Ban Corp. borrowed $21.75 million from TARP in December 2008. The preferred shares represent about 54.7 percent of the bank holding company's total equity. The shares are not convertible to common stock. However, acquiring the debt would allow Equity Bancshares to appoint two of the six directors for the holding company.…