There are new accusations in the battle of who will run West Palm Beach’s historic Sunset Lounge. The attorney for the original bid winner that was abruptly disqualified says the company the mayor then awarded the contract — is guilty of the exact thing that supposedly disqualified his client.Vita Lounge LLC was disqualified two weeks after winning the bid because the city said they had violated the no lobbying rule. Vita’s lawyer Malcolm Cunningham Thursday sent the city’s procurement director a letter including emails between Mayor Keith James and the owner of Mad Room Hospitality, which he says shows Mad Room lobbied James directly.According to Cunningham, the night last month that Mad Room Hospitality lost the bid to run the renovated $16 million historic Black jazz club, Mad Room’s owner later sent an email to Mayor Keith James thanking him for his support and his vote.James emailed back saying he strongly believed Mad Room was the right choice to run the Sunset Lounge, and said he hoped their paths crossed again in the near future.Two days later James sent an email to the city attorney, linking to a WPBF 25 News interview with Darrin Cummings, vice president of Vita Lounge, where Cummings talked about the historical significance of the lounge. In that email, James asked the attorney if the interview violated the “cone of silence” which prohibits the bidder from speaking about the bid until the contract is executed.Two weeks later, the city’s procurement director told Vita Lounge it had been disqualified.In a CRA meeting Monday, James again strongly recommended his first choice, Mad Room, get the bid, and the commission told staff to move forward with that negotiation.In his letter, Cunningham said the “cone of silence” query from James was a pretext to disqualify Vita Lounge LLC.Vita Lounge LLC has filed a lawsuit against the city and is also filing an emergency restraining order to stop the city from going forward with the Mad Room selection.
There are new accusations in the battle of who will run West Palm Beach’s historic Sunset Lounge.
The attorney for the original bid winner that was abruptly disqualified says the company the mayor then awarded the contract — is guilty of the exact thing that supposedly disqualified his client.
Vita Lounge LLC was disqualified two weeks after winning the bid because the city said they had violated the no lobbying rule.
Vita’s lawyer Malcolm Cunningham Thursday sent the city’s procurement director a letter including emails between Mayor Keith James and the owner of Mad Room Hospitality, which he says shows Mad Room lobbied James directly.
According to Cunningham, the night last month that Mad Room Hospitality lost the bid to run the renovated $16 million historic Black jazz club, Mad Room’s owner later sent an email to Mayor Keith James thanking him for his support and his vote.
James emailed back saying he strongly believed Mad Room was the right choice to run the Sunset Lounge, and said he hoped their paths crossed again in the near future.
Two days later James sent an email to the city attorney, linking to a WPBF 25 News interview with Darrin Cummings, vice president of Vita Lounge, where Cummings talked about the historical significance of the lounge.
In that email, James asked the attorney if the interview violated the “cone of silence” which prohibits the bidder from speaking about the bid until the contract is executed.
Two weeks later, the city’s procurement director told Vita Lounge it had been disqualified.
In a CRA meeting Monday, James again strongly recommended his first choice, Mad Room, get the bid, and the commission told staff to move forward with that negotiation.
In his letter, Cunningham said the “cone of silence” query from James was a pretext to disqualify Vita Lounge LLC.
Vita Lounge LLC has filed a lawsuit against the city and is also filing an emergency restraining order to stop the city from going forward with the Mad Room selection.
