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Mayor proposes two-month suspension of Blind Tiger lease payments amid waterfront work
Summary
Fairhope’s mayor introduced a resolution to suspend the Blind Tiger restaurant’s lease payments for July and August, citing construction impacts from the city’s waterfront project; council discussion emphasized prior communication and offered protections for the business.
The Fairhope mayor asked the council to consider a temporary suspension of lease payments for Blind Tiger for July and August because of disruptions caused by waterfront construction.
"We will temporarily suspend the lease payments for July and August because of the inconvenience that we have caused them with the work done at the waterfront," the mayor said at the work session. The mayor added that the city had previously reduced the restaurant’s rent to "1 and a half percent versus 3%" and confirmed the tenant currently holds a credit on its account.
Council members asked the mayor to explain the project timeline and communications after residents raised concerns on social media that the closures came as a surprise. The mayor said the waterfront work and the restaurant’s opening overlapped: "both of the projects started at this they opened the restaurant and we started the waterfront renovations at the same time," and that staff had worked to limit closures and provide alternatives to customers, including a downtown parking shuttle.
Why it matters: the suspension is intended to offset documented business disruption from a city capital project and is a temporary step the council is considering prior to returning to full lease payments on Sept. 1. The mayor said staff expect the last major closure is complete and that limited striping closures will follow as final work continues.
No formal vote was recorded in the work session; the mayor sought council approval to present a resolution on the council agenda. The mayor also said staff have offered operational support and communication with the restaurant to mitigate lost business.
Ending: The council scheduled further agenda items and planned to take up resolutions later in the meeting; the lease-suspension resolution was introduced on the work session agenda for later formal consideration.
