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New Tampa

Grocery awaits new role

By DEMORRIS LEE
Published September 23, 2005

HUNTER'S GREEN - City Council member Shawn Harrison wants the city to explore putting a cultural arts center in the recently vacated Winn-Dixie building at the corner of Bruce B. Downs and Cross Creek boulevards. But others in the area have expressed interest in the warehouse-style building becoming a bowling alley.

Either way, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio thinks it's way too early in the process for the city to be tipping its hand.

Harrison persuaded the City Council last week to set aside $22,000 to explore the possibility of putting a cultural center in the former Winn-Dixie. Last month, the nonprofit New Tampa Cultural Arts Center organization abandoned its efforts to get a cultural arts center built in New Tampa. The city had earmarked $22,000 for a feasibility study. Harrison said it's possible to use that money to "look at the possible adaptive use of the Winn-Dixie."

"It's very possible," Harrison said. "There is a big parking lot, and it would be a great community center. It's an open book right now, and there are several different possibilities for (the former Winn-Dixie) right now."

Harrison doesn't want to see that money go back to the general fund.

"I don't want the money to disappear down the black hole of city government," Harrison said. "Put it (the money) in New Tampa where it was intended to be used."

But Iorio, who heard from New Tampa residents last month wanting a bowling alley at the site, said the $22,000 should go back to the general fund.

"I don't think it's a good idea to set aside any city money," Iorio said. "It doesn't put the city in a good negotiating position when we haven't even talked with the owners. We haven't even been inside the building. It's premature to be setting aside any tax dollars for it."

Winn-Dixie, a Jacksonville grocery chain, filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in February and closed 41 of its stores, including the Bruce B. Downs grocery which had been there since 1995.

Harrison said he has had conversations with some of the managers of the property and that they are not making any commitments. At the same time, a group interested in opening a bowling center also recently met with property managers.

Iorio wants there to be more caution.

"We are appearing interested in property that we haven't even looked at," Iorio said again. "You have to be more methodical about it or end up putting yourself in a bad negotiating position. Even if you want the property, there are many other people out there who may want it, too."

Harrison said he has not given up efforts of getting a cultural arts center for New Tampa. He said the Winn-Dixie could also house a police substation, or the city could partner with the county for a joint government services center.

"I do think the concept of the cultural center as it initially started out is done," Harrison said. "But there are still groups out there that need space. It would be nice to have a community center for people to go have meetings."

Michael Morris, CFO of Pin Chasers, a company that owns several bowling centers in Tampa including Pin Chasers Midtown (formerly Regal Lanes) and Pin Chasers Veterans (formerly Crown Lanes), said the company looked into opening a center in the former Winn-Dixie.

"We found that it was going to be a closed bid process and came to the conclusion that there were other national grocery chains similar to Winn-Dixie that were interested in the property and they would outbid us," Morris said. "Because of the process, it would be difficult for us to know what other people were doing."

A closed bid process is often used when there is a lot of interest in a property. With the closed bid process, the property owner sends all those interested a blank lease. The potential buyer fills in the amount he wants to pay per square foot for the facility and the seller then accepts the highest bidder.

Morris said his company hasn't given up the idea of opening a bowling center in New Tampa and just last week met with Iorio about the issue.

"We are most interested in providing wholesome family entertainment in New Tampa," Morris said.

Staff writer Demorris Lee can be reached at 269-5312 or dalee@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 09:00:09]