Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital and NYC Island Group Yachting (IGY Marinas) are retaliating against the Maximo Seafood Shack, a woman-owned, vet-owned business for a Change.org petition a supporter posted to save “Old Florida, One Seafood Shack at a Time.” In 20 days the Change.org petition garnered over 25,000 supporters and over 2000 comments from 10 countries, all 50 States and over 990 cities worldwide. Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital terminating the Maximo Seafood Shack when there is no reason is just another nail in the coffin for economically depressed St. Petersburg’s Southside. IGY Marinas and Chicago investors could keep the Shack on the dock until the renovation started. There is speculation by locals the renovation is a red herring and will not start. There is also speculation Chicago Investors Bixby Bridge Capital are attempting to put Maximo Marina back on the market. They have had discussions with City Zoning to build condos and add parking. The new drawings show the parking and not the condos. To get this property ready, the speculation is the Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital are embarrassed by Old Florida, so Maximo Seafood Shack has to go. The Maximo Seafood Shack is a community hub and boaters come here for fuel and to eat. The Shack attracts snowbirds and Tampa Bay residents. The Shack has become a travel and tourism destination! Florida’s fishing industry is under so much stress with rules and regulations. There will be no more local seafood if there is no longer a market to sell it to with hard working dedicated people doing this for the love of it — not the money. The Shack presents seafood as Old Florida knows it. The Shack has five dedicated employees who have vowed to stand with the owner until last fish is cut. They have lives and families and will be losing their job as well. How did Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital and Island Group Marina come to retaliate for the Change.org petition? Co-owner Steven Fass had originally told the owners two years, but told another story when the Tampa Bay Times called him. On April Fools Day, IGY Marinas’s Lee Hicks stopped by and told the Shack owner, You are terminated effective 1 Aug. That weekend Change.org petition was launched. The following Monday, IGY Marinas’ Lee Hicks told the owner, "We don't like being disturbed over the weekend. You're out end of the month.” Articles followed in Tampa Bay Times, I Love The Burg and Tampa Tribune. Then IGY Marinas’ Lee Hicks recanted and said, 1 Aug. On Thursday, 21 April, co-owner Steven Fass signed a letter presented by Lee Hicks terminating the lease on May 21. There was no options now but to vacate the premise. Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital purchased the Maximo Marina bank note in 2009. They attempted renovation before the recessions hit, stopped, and took it off the market. Since then, Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital have renovated two rows, stopped and put the Marina on the market. After having no buyers or not getting the asking price around $22 million, Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital pulled Maximo Marina off the market. Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital have since published plans to renovate the Marina but no permits have been filed. Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital have plans to add condos and parking but no zoning request has officially been made. Zoning has stated there has been discussion. IGY Marinas’ Lee Hicks told the Broadwater community, when asked, the Shack was a part of the future. Early April, IGY Marinas distributed a new marina rendering that had no Maximo Seafood Shack, two slips for 100’ yachts, and an over abundance of parking on the south side. However, the area for condos was conveniently overlaid with green. IGY Marinas has been raising rents and asking for long term leases for the local yacht broker and businesses on the property, effectively pricing them out of the economically distressed Southside. The question is being raised, Are the Chicago investors Bixby Bridge Capital and IGY Marinas the kind of business owners the community needs? The Maximo Marina brand has been literally destroyed. The area is deeply rooted in old Florida. Boaters who come here for fuel have stated they will go elsewhere. Local boaters have vowed not to patronize Maximo Marina. The community is behind the Shack! IGY Marinas appears to be stepping outside their business model at Maximo Marina, locaed in St. Petersburg's economically depressed Southside. IGY Marinas have made the Caribbean a playground for the rich and their megayachts. IGY Marinas and the Chicago investors are not preserving "Old Florida," they are destroying "Old Florida." Want to see exactly who is Island Global Yachting? Just watch IGY Marinas’ YouTube video, "High Net Worth?" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl3ZL9iG9qY The Skyway Marina District, a business district, was established in 2013, The Skyway Marina District has been silent and expressed support to me for IGY Marinas’s efforts to work with the Maximo Seafood Shack. The manager had not spoken to the Shack owner prior to making that comment. The Skyway Marina District manager did visit the Shack when the Tampa Tribune was interviewing the owner. The manager refused to be interviewed. We need our 25,000+ supporters to message (1) Bixby Bridge Capital, (2) IGY Marinas, and (3) St. Petersburg Mayor Kriseman CALLING on them to “Save the Shack” and please add your comments: 1. IGY Marinas a. Twitter https://twitter.com/igymarinas b. Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/IGYMarinas c. NYC Headquarters for Island Global Yachting (IGY Marinas). - Email them online. http://www.igymarinas.com/contact/ - Phone Global Headquarters in NYC: 212-705-5000 2. Chicago Owners Bixby Bridge Capital’s David Colburn and Steven Fass a. Email online: http://www.bixbybridgecapital.com/contact-us/ b. Phone: 847-313-6454 3. St.Petersburg MAYOR KRISEMAN Contact Mayor Kriseman via email at mayor@stpete.org Only time we heard from the St. Petersburg's Democratic Mayor Kriseman was when he was quoted in the Tampa Bay Times article, “"While the City encourages and appreciates investments into our community, and especially into the Skyway Marina District, this is ultimately a private matter between the owners of the marina and the seafood shack," the mayor wrote, adding that the city's focus is on "building up small businesses, not tearing them down." Yet, Mayor Kriseman has no problem calling the President of the Tampa Bay Rays and asking them to stay in St. Petersburg! 4. St.Petersburg City Council Contact City Council Member via email at council@stpete.org FILM SHORT First trailer to be released Friday. Intent of the film is to document the destruction of Old Florida and submit this to the Film Festivals. COMMENTS San Antonio, Texas — The lifeblood of communities are small, locally-owned businesses. Cocoa Beach, Florida — I run a small business and know we are the pulse of the economy of the USA. Plus the grouper bites are awesome St. Petersburg, Florida — The closing of Seafood Shack will impact the neighborhood and the larger community. The food is great, the setting gorgeous. I hope you'll find a way to relocate the restaurant in the marina, being close the water and fishing boats is important in saving this place. Thanks. Falls Church, Virginia — You're right - old, small, simple things are what people love. It they promise her two years - they should give her two years. If they promised to help her relocate - then they should. They should fulfill their promises and this should be seen to by law. Fort Myers, Florida — I live in Lee County and I see how our county commissioners are selling out to developers and big business. This has to stop in our state. Fenton, Missouri — I'm signing because I don't want to see Florida lose its authenticity any quicker than it already is! Regards, Robert Neff Independent Investigative Journalist @5wa on Twitter, https://twitter.com/5wa Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/rcneff Linkedin, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcneff