Mayor Ashton Hayward warned the Pensacola City Council that the city would be sued if it didn’t give the concessions contract to OHM Group. Apparently he did get his lawsuit, not from OHM but from Varona Enterprises of Florida. Sources close to Robert de Varona told me last night that he felt he had no choice but to do so.
Varona released this statement to the Independent News last night:
“On behalf of my employees, my wife Eloise, and my family, I would like to thank all the passengers, airport workers, and community supporters who have made Varona’s a part of the Pensacola community. It was truly an honor to serve you, and we look forward to continuing to work to make Pensacola a better place.
We are disappointed that after a long and contentious political battle, we are still dealing with these issues.
Our lease is very clear about the timeline for Varona’s to vacate the property, and our attorneys are reviewing the matter. We look forward to a speedy resolution so we can get on with the work of finding jobs for my employees, working with OHM to effect a smooth changeover, and looking to new business opportunities.â€
I heard from two separate sources that Tamara Fountain, the mayor’s communications director, is denying that the she or Hayward had any knowledge of the letter sent by attorney John Trawick. However, city staff has been working overtime to get OHM Group into the airport asap. A Einstein Bros. sign is already up, according to one traveler who emailed me.
And Trawick is apparently no longer the city’s attorney on this matter. Beggs & Lane attorney John Daniel has stepped in and is trying to rescue the city from yet another lawsuit.
An emergency hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. today, but it has been delayed until 3 p.m.