Torrey K. Cooper bought three advertisements for the Plantation from Tampa Bay Magazine but only paid for one of them, the publisher says.
By LORRI HELFAND
Published November 27, 2003
LARGO - Torrey K. Cooper plans to build the Plantation, a multimillion-dollar development with 23 luxury homes, on the northwest corner of Belleair and Belcher roads.
But Tampa Bay Magazine is still waiting for $10,000 Cooper's former company owes for two full-page ads publicizing the project.
The advertiser, Dakota Land Co., was dissolved in September. Cooper is now project manager of Dakota Land Group, which is partnering with the Barclay Group of Dunedin on the gated community with homes ranging from $700,000 to $2-million.
Cooper signed contracts for three $5,000 full-page ads for the March/April, May/June and July/August editions of the magazine.
All ads ran, but he only paid for the first one, Tampa Bay Magazine's publisher, Aaron R. Fodiman, said.
Tampa Bay Publications, the corporation that owns the magazine, filed two small claims suits against Cooper on Sept. 5 after the magazine received a letter from Cooper saying payment would be delayed until matters were settled with lenders.
The letter also requested a magazine distribution list claiming there had been no inquiries from the ads.
"It made us immediately become suspicious and concerned about getting our money when we got that letter," Fodiman said.
Cooper and Debbie Gonzales, Dakota Land Co. and Dakota Land Group director of operations, sent three letters to the magazine. The last, sent three days after the Dakota Land Co. was dissolved, apologized for the delay and promised payment by Oct. 1.
On Wednesday morning, Cooper said he didn't think he owed money to Tampa Bay Magazine.
"We had an issue with some advertising with them," he said. "I think they've already been paid."
About 11 a.m. Wednesday - after Cooper spoke to a reporter - Fodiman said Cooper called him, asking how he should make out his check.
"When he called me, he told me for sure he'd get it cut by Monday," Fodiman said. Fodiman also said the suits were dropped Oct. 7, but that he was amending them for refiling.
Last week, Cooper said he planned to close on the property, which will cost just under $2-million, by mid December. Cooper said the project would break ground by the beginning of next year.
Seven of the homes are reserved and there have been 70 offers, Cooper said.
That surprised Fodiman.
"As far as we knew the deal was dead," Fodiman said.
Cooper said financial problems were in the past and that his partnership with the Barclay Group would guarantee that project costs would be covered.
Daniel Vietto, registered agent of the Barclay Group, could not be reached for comment.
For the past five years, several projects, including a 24,000-square-foot palace and an 185-bed assisted living facility, have been proposed on the 12-acre site. None have materialized.
"This property has been plagued by unusual business relationships," City Manager Steve Stanton said.
Stanton said he had his own concerns when he met Cooper. He didn't seem sensitive to the costs involved in a project of that magnitude, he said.
"It seemed like he was extremely unconcerned with things most developers would be," Stanton said.
