In 2010, Sarasota County Commissioner Joe
Barbetta called Sanborn Studios' decision
to build a film and TV production studio in
Lakewood Ranch a "breakthrough achieve-
ment in our effort to
diversify our economic
base." This week, he
and four other county
commissioners voted
unanimously to sue
Sanborn, hoping to
recover at least some
o f t h e $ 6 5 0 , 0 0 0 i n
financial incentives the county has given
the company.
The financial incentive agreement between
Sarasota County and Sanborn, approved in
2010, called for the
studio to create 117
new jobs by Sept. 2,
2013, with the average
salary for those posi-
tions to be no less than
$72,000. The contract
stipulated that if all the
jobs were not created
A still image from a Sanborn Studios project. Photo courtesy sanbornstudiosllc.com
LEGAL DRAMA
SARASOTA COUNTY TO SUE SANBORN STUDIOS TO RECOUP AT LEAST
SOME OF ITS FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
The County is sending a very
clear message to all businesses that
Sarasota is a dangerous place to do
business.
Ken Sanborn
CEO
Sanborn Studios
By Cooper Levey-Baker
Associate Editor
