Benny’s owner threatens to leave Lake Worth Beach over rent fight: ‘We don’t deserve to be evicted.
THE OWNER OF Benny’s on the Beach, the popular oceanfront restaurant in Lake Worth Beach, is threatening to leave over the City Commission’s plans to dramatically raise the eatery’s rental rates.“If you vote no, you know that's the end for me," an emotional Lee Lipton told commissioners Tuesday night before they voted 3-2 against renewing the lease. "I'm not renegotiating the lease at this point. I have given $1.2 million. Just evict us and that's it, or let us stay because I'm telling you that's it. I’ve had enough."
The $1.2 million Lipton was referring to was the amount of money he’d agreed to pay over the next 10 years after several rounds of negotiations with city officials on a new lease for Benny’s, which employs 200 people at the Lake Worth Beach pier.
The new rates would represent the first increases since 2013 for Benny’s, which currently pays about $21,000 a month under a lease that expires in one month. In general, the new rates over the next 10 years would start at $25,000 a month and rise to $33,000 a month.
Read detailed article by Joe Capozzi
This lease was negotiated over six months and McVoy, Stokes and Diaz blew it all to hell.
It's about time the city started taking stuff back fair market value just like the golf course restaurant we gave that away too he still has the other restaurant across the street
ReplyDeleteThis city can’t run anything properly just look at the condition of the Lake Worth Playhouse, it’s a mess visually, pealing failed paint, cigarette butts and trash everywhere, traffic cone visible sitting next to front door, valet stand visible from road when not in use! These are things code enforcement drives around town putting violation notices on homes, rules for thee, not for me…. Go look for yourselves, take a walk by the playhouse tomorrow morning, grab a coffee from common ground walk over and look how the city takes care of our Crown Jewel playhouse!
DeleteWhy would Benny's on the beach be any different than any other restaurant rents going up everywhere why would he be any different he doesn't like the rent increase pack your stuff and go elsewhere somebody else would gladly moving that spot
ReplyDeleteSo who’s going to move into that spot, y’all have no idea.
ReplyDeleteWhy haven’t we leased the upstairs space at the casino building?
How long will it take to least the space where Bennies is. 1 year. 2 years, 3? How much revenue will be lost while it sits empty month after month?
Where are the hippy wannabes crying about the city being greedy like they do about residential landlords in this town?
The city rent increase of 28% is crazy. Let's talk about what the city ordinance says to other landlords. (paraphrasing) you can increase your rent up to 10% with a 90 day notice. 10%!!!
ReplyDeleteOrdinance! Good for thee but not for me attitude of these 3 stooges.
@10:14...you have diverted from the topic. However, the Lake Worth Playhouse is a 501c3 nonprofit community theater. In 1975 the Lake Worth Playhouse (incorporated 1953) purchased the theater. The city does not own it.
ReplyDeleteThe Playhouse has fund raisers from time to time to make repairs such as the leaky roof.
Donate to the cause.