Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/175080
WALMART AND PARKING WOES The Ringling Shopping Center in downtown Sarasota stood ready for a new Walmart before a neighborhood group's protests early this year derailed the plans. Photo by Norman Schimmel THE CITY COMMISSION LEARNS OF A NEW LAWSUIT IN THE WALMART/ RINGLING SHOPPING CENTER SAGA, MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS ON THE STATE STREET GARAGE AND HEARS BURNS SQUARE PARKING WOES By Stan Zimmerman City Editor The Walmart Corp. has terminated its contract with the owners of the Ringling Shopping Center, the City Commission learned on Monday, Sept. 16. That ends the company's attempt to build a nearly 100,000-square-foot "supercenter" on the site of the city's oldest retail complex. However, the owners of the center have filed a second lawsuit against the city seeking a declaratory judgment. City Attorney Bob Fournier notified the commissioners of the action at the end of the afternoon portion of the regular board meeting. Two California entities — identified as Doyle and the Doyle Family Trust — own the property. They allege the so-called "appeal hearing" the City Commission held in the spring to address the Planning We need to spell all this out to Board's recommenpotential buyers. The broker needs to know. dation of the Walmart plan should not have Robert Fournier City Attorney started over from Sarasota scratch, as city rules