WATCH THE FILM TRAILER on YouTube and help #SaveTheShack, https://youtu.be/GLvFJOB5U_k A film trailer titled “Big Money Buys Old Florida” has been released documenting how the community is rallying to save its seafood shack from an unscrupulous Chicago investor Bixby Bridge Capital and its marina management company, Island Group Yachting (IGY Marinas). Together they are destroying old Florida, one seafood shack at a time. Bixby Bridge Capital and IGY Marinas have demonstrated a callous disregard for the Maximo Seafood Shack, located at Maximo Marina in St. Petersburg, and the community. They have mislead the community by saying they will keep the shack. Few weeks later, IGY Marinas shows new marina plans with no restaurant. Maximo Seafood Shack is a woman-owned veteran-owned small business with five employees. Margaret Covello has been there five years. She has built the restaurant into a successful restaurant that is a neighborhood gathering spot in St. Petersburg’s economically depressed Southside. The Shack and communities are a part of the Skyway Marina District. Bixby Bridge Capital and Island Group Yachting (IGY Marinas) are bullying and intimidating her. The out-of-state investor’s suddenly decided to abruptly close the Shack. Worse, IGY Marinas behaved unprofessionally and made a yo-yo out of the closing date! The Shack's closure impacts the neighborhoods and boaters. We are losing a community hub. Watch how the community rallies support for Maximo Seafood Shack. A film crew is documenting the Chicago investors and IGY Marinas actions and the community’s response. The story is not just confined to Florida but this is an epidemic. Outside investors want to gentrify the local communities around the world in their vision without regard to the local community. This documentary is a wakeup call. This is happening now to someone you know! The documentary will be submitted to local, national and international film festivals. See you in Sundance, Tribeca and Cannes Film Festival! Be sure to read the petition updates at the bottom of the petition by using the previous and next button. Special Thanks to Jason Bradford and his video and editing production company, tallshortthinfatguy, https://www.youtube.com/user/tallshotthinfatguy?feature=mhee HOW CAN YOU HELP? 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 COMMENTS Boise, Idaho — This is beyond sad, it's the small local restaurant's and business's which is the heart and soul of a community you want to seek out and experience in your travels! St. Petersburg, Florida — Saving a little old florida is important to me. This little business has a huge heart. Maryland Heights, Missouri — I am so tired of Big Corporations taking over what made the USA what is in off the back of small business owners. Chicago, Illinois — I love the old Florida. It's the reason I visit Florida's West coast instead of the eastern side. This must not be allowed to happen. We will all lose what makes Fayetteville, NC — Honor you're agreement, Shyster! Dunnellon, Florida — Because its a despicable act by a greedy corporation against a local non franchised… VOTE OUT ANY LOCAL POLITICIAN SUPPORTING CLOSURE! STATS — They keep growing! 25,739 Supporters 2069 Comments Reached all 50 States 1005 Cities reached in the United States. 10 Countries — Australia, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Norway, England, Scotland, United States 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