One deal for a new restaurant at the city of Kent’s Riverbend Golf Complex fell through, but another agreement could be coming soon.
City staff had negotiated the past four months with the operators of Hackers Bar and Grill at the Madrona Links Golf Course in Gig Harbor to bring a similar sport bar to Kent’s 18-hole course. Hackers’ owners backed out of coming to Riverbend last month.
“They’ve got some investment challenges on their side,” said City Parks Director Julie Parascondola at the City Council’s Parks and Human Services Committee meeting in October. “The city met every need they had, we were pretty devastated to hear that. We spent four months to lock it up.”
With Hackers out of the picture, two other restaurant owners came forward:
• Foley’s Sports Bar and Grill, which opened in 2013 at Meadow Park Golf Course in Tacoma.
• Half Lion Brewery, which opened in 2016 in Sumner.
“I am still working with the two restaurants,” Parascondola said in an email Nov. 1. “We have gotten through some preliminary review/discussion and now they are each submitting requirements such as tax returns, business model/plan, etc. Once we have that, then we’ll make the final decision on who we plan to move forward with.
“Both are very solid opportunities and they are different from each other so it gives us a bit of diversity to consider. We are grateful of their interest and lucky to have them both for consideration.
“I can’t share too many details just yet since we just re-started, but I’ll have a final path moving forward right after Thanksgiving,” she said.
Parascondola said her goal is to take a restaurant contract to the council’s Operations Committee on Dec. 11 and get full council approval right after the first of the year.
“The goal and timing is to still open a restaurant by late spring or early summer,” she said.
Past failures
The city has had trouble at the restaurant space along West Meeker Street since the Fire Creek Grill closed in 2010 after about 10 years in business.
The city closed the Scotch and Vine in April 2017 after less than a year in business when the owners failed to pay rent. Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant closed in June 2015 after a five-year run. The city terminated that lease because the restaurant owed about $78,000 to the city in delinquent lease and utility payments.
Each former owner still owes the city money. Mick Kelly’s now owes $98,653 while Scotch and Vine owes $27,623 for a total of $126,276, according to city Finance Department staff. The amount includes rent, utilities and penalties owed.
The city has written off the amount but does not forgive the obligation due, said Finance Director Aaron BeMiller. He said if the city’s collection agency succeeds in receiving payment, the city will book the payments as revenue.
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