Some remaining tenants at the Jacksonville Landing spent Memorial Day packing up and moving out.
Two big businesses at The Landing already got offers of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city of Jacksonville to vacate.
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But small business owners there tell Action News Jax they’ve heard nothing from the city about how much money they’ll get.
The city plans to demolish The Landing after it bought the buildings from Sleiman Enterprises.
“I’m just really feeling emotional. I’m feeling like people are going to forget about me,” said NAIWBE spa owner Sylvia Walker.
She got a notice on her door last week reminding her she has to be out by Friday.
Action News Jax reported earlier this month that Fionn MacCool’s got $550,000 from the city to vacate.
The city offered Hooters more than $300,000.
“They have better lawyers. Their leases were better. I’m just disappointed in the administration,” said Hana & Her Sister Fine Jewelry owner Michelle Rhoades. “How could they do that to us? We’re small businesses. Being here for 32 years downtown, supporting downtown – I love downtown – and just to throw us by the wayside?”
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Her family’s jewelry shop has been at The Landing since day one.
“I was 11 when my parents opened up the business. And now my son is 11 and we’re closing the business,” Rhoades said.
Action News Jax asked City Councilman Reggie Gaffney about compensation for small businesses at The Landing at the beginning of the month.
“We do have incentive money for those individuals that are looking to relocate their business. All they’ve got to do is ask,” Gaffney said on May 1.
Walker and Rhoades said the city asked small business owners weeks ago what it would cost to vacate so they could submit their totals, but never heard back.
“I’m hoping that the city’s going to do the right thing. To not include the small businesses would be a travesty,” Walker said.
In an emailed statement, city of Jacksonville Director of Public Affairs Nikki Kimbleton wrote:
“Every single business owner has communicated with the city and DIA- however, each rental/lease agreement is unique. Many of these larger businesses were in place much longer and had larger revenues and space--- therefore, different lease agreements and more specifically, lengths of the lease. The smaller businesses have not been ignored. There have been multiple attempts to offer them assistance in finding alternate business space. Again, it just goes back to their lease agreements with The Landing’s parent company when it comes to the financial assistance.”
Action News Jax has requested documentation of the city's attempts to offer The Landing's small businesses assistance in finding new business spaces.