Mulligans owner writes the Lake Worth City Commission

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After last night's City Commission meeting, you have to ask yourself, 'What is really going on here?" Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell did everything possible to derail it all. The Mayor, Pam Triolo, lost her cool once again and passed the gavel to make a motion to rescind all previous votes other than Kilwans. Commissioner Amoroso just followed Maxwell. None of them knew what the Right of First Refusal means. It was a complete farce of a night.

Below is an e-mail sent to the Commission by the owner of Mulligans:

January 18, 2012

To Lake Worth City Commissioners,

Last night’s City Commissioner meeting was shocking to me as I have spent weeks gathering and reviewing lease documents, financial statements, references, etc. for a lease to be approved for the Lake Worth Casino Project. I was told by the Realtor that this was simply a formality.

However after sitting through 4 hours of a meeting going nowhere I quickly realized that the commissioners are not viewing this decision properly and heading towards a decision that will leave their community disappointed with this project and a restaurant that Lake Worth will not be proud of.

I am insulted to be placed in the same category with Bokamper’s Sports Bar. After looking into their concept and their website I am appalled that the City of Lake Worth would even consider a place that does events as Bad Ass Bike Night and barely dress their employees.

I feel as certain commissioners are thinking too much about the initial bottom line and are not looking into what the community needs and wants in their back door. Lake Worth needs to build their reputation with Family Oriented locations, businesses that support the community in the way it needs to be supported. Bringing in a sports bar is not doing what is right for the community. As far as an owner of a restaurant saying sure we can serve breakfast or sure we can come up with another concept, that is not easy and if they do that it will not be done right. It takes years, and a strong infrastructure to build a new concept and to add another whole menu to a kitchen. This needs a different kitchen design, different cooks, and years of experience to do this properly. If you choose Bokamper’s you are selling out your entire community for a few dollars because you don’t have any pride in your project and think you can’t get anything better upstairs. That thinking is wrong and really disappointing coming from City Commissioners.

I have performed my due diligence before signing a letter of intent and presented the commissioners with a professional package of our financials, references, etc. in a timely manner and felt as I did what was required to be eligible for a lease. For a business to come in and toss a to-go menu up to the commissioner and state they will pay more money, is unprofessional and not the way this business should have been handled nor should they even be considered without a full proposal.

Mulligan’s Beach House is a company that has been successful doing breakfast, lunch and dinner for 15 years. We are a casual family seafood restaurant. Our list of references, donations and news stories of supporting the community that each commissioner was given speaks for itself. We are a restaurant that not only serves great food with fast friendly service to each customer we also highly support each community that we move in. Mulligan’s is what your community wants. We are a restaurant that knows how to handle high volume business, we are family owned and operated. I am in the restaurants every day and I am a hands on owner, constantly training my staff & managers, constantly looking for new better products for our menus, I am there talking to my customers and making sure everyone has a wonderful experience and will want to return.

Mulligan’s is currently on beach front locations we know the standards and regulations that need to be in place for the safety of our sea turtles and recycling policies to keep our beaches clean. We already follow those guidelines at our other beachfront properties and will guarantee that you will have a clean healthy place on your property. We have already hired architects and contractors to begin planning for this project and they will need time to get the proper paperwork and ordering process started. Holding this vote off for another month will just be very difficult on us or any other restaurant being considered to do all the work *properly* to build a
successful well-built restaurant. A decision is necessary in the next few weeks by the city commissioners to do this properly.

Mulligan’s Beach House does not promote their bar, we do not do shots, we do not do pitchers of beer, we simply sell a variety of tropical drinks, beer & wine to compliment your meal. Mulligan’s concentrates on families and pleasing all ages from 0 to 100. We are open 365 days a year giving families a place to celebrate all the holidays including Thanksgiving & Christmas with traditional turkey dinners and more holiday festivities.

I am asking that the city commissioners think seriously about your vision for the City of Lake Worth, if you do this you will clearly see Mulligan’s Beach House being the perfect fit for this location. I guarantee you that we will make Lake Worth proud; I guarantee you that once we are selected for that spot and other restaurateurs see the beautiful restaurant that we will build, you will be able to get the rent that is needed to fulfill all of your budget requirements.

Take a moment to view the websites and visit Mulligan’s and visit the Bokamper’s, imagine Bokamper’s with Welcome to the Jungle playing on their website and girls dressed in too tight shorts, wings & BBQ pork, customers smoking at the bar, more TV’S than people, imagine that on your beautiful beach front community…look good? No, now imagine Mulligan’s Beach House with the sounds of steel drums playing, fresh tuna, grouper & snapper on your plate, kids holding balloons, beautiful palm tree fabric booths, water lit bars and professionally dressed well-mannered employees serving your citizens, imagine that on your beautiful beach front community. Mulligan’s is the picture that your community envisions in that location, now you just have to make that vision become reality.

Sincerely,

George Hart,
Owner/Operator,
Mulligan’s Beach House Bar & Grill