Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Baltimore Orioles Baseball Team Sold for $1.725 Billion Will New Owners Move the Team Out of Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota Fl After Lawsuit Debacle

UPDATE Jan 30th, 2024: Baltimore Orioles sold for $1.725 billion in bombshell deal. Back on July 22, 2009, the Orioles announced an agreement with Sarasota, Florida to move spring training operations from Fort Lauderdale to Ed Smith Stadium Sarasota for the 2010 season. The Orioles Spring Training baseball field is in Sarasota Fl at Ed Smith stadium, first game this year is Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles Saturday Feb 24, 2024. Team owner John Angelos has agreed to sell the Orioles to private equity billionaires David Rubenstein and Mike Arougheti in a deal valuing the club at $1.725 billion, according to Puck News. Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. is part of the group, a source confirmed to The Baltimore Banner. David Rubenstein, a Baltimore native and Maryland resident, has a net worth of $3.7 billion and is one of the 800 richest people in the world, according to Forbes.  

Will new owners move the team out of Sarasota for spring training? Will the years long Sarasota County vs Gilbane Builders lawsuit debacle at Ed Smith baseball stadium sour new owners on staying in Sarasota Fl? In an effort to save face, Sarasota County Attorney Bora Kayan had filed multiple Appeals throwing Hoyt Architecture and the Baltimore Orioles under the bus claiming they were responsible for the choice of the BASF resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium Sarasota in 2013 that supposedly turned defective, that wasn't. Gilbane Building Company has offices at 1215 E Fort Ave #100, Baltimore, MD. Gilbane completed the $5.1 million dollar Camden Yards Sports Complex pedestrian spine in Baltimore MD. The Baltimore Orioles baseball team have the same BASF resin flooring at Camden Yards in Baltimore as was at Ed Smith stadium Sarasota. https://nypost.com/2024/01/30/sports/john-angelos-agrees-to-sell-orioles-for-1-725-billion-in-bombshell-deal 

Was former Sarasota County attorney Bora Kayan planning on going to war with the Baltimore Orioles baseball team in Baltimore MD over the flooring problem at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota? Gee, I think such information would have been newsworthy to all the tax payers in Sarasota County and all the citizens who vote in the Sarasota County Commissioner elections. "An independent economic impact analysis commissioned by Sarasota County Government has concluded that the Orioles generate approximately $97 million dollars during one month, March, spring training baseball in annual economic impact back to taxpayers and residents through the club's marketing and promotion of Sarasota tourism to its fan base across seven Mid-Atlantic states".

Who is this Gilbane Const Company who did the renovation of Ed Smith baseball stadium in Sarasota Fl? Did they have any references? Were they qualified for the Ed Smith Stadium project? In a word, YES! Gilbane Building successfully renovated iconic Fenway Park in Boston for the Red Sox baseball team but drew complaints and a lawsuit from Sarasota County over renovation of Ed Smith baseball Stadium for the Baltimore Orioles. Gilbane, Inc. (Gilbane) is a national construction and real estate development company based in Providence, Rhode Island. Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. It is the parent organization of Gilbane Building Company and Gilbane Development Company. Gilbane, Inc. is a sixth-generation, family-owned business founded in 1870. Sarasota did not even become a Town until 1902. A short list of notable projects from Gilbane Inc.'s subsidiary, Gilbane Building Company, include the National World War II Memorial Washington DC, Oceane Siesta Key Sarasota FL, University of Connecticut Rentschler Field Football Stadium Hartford CT, Florida Gulf Coast University Student Health and Wellness Center Fort Myers FL, 1964 New York World's Fair, the 1980 Winter Olympics facilities in Lake Placid New York, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., and the Fenway Park clubhouse improvements for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. Gilbane Building Company Completes Improvements to iconic Fenway Park, one of the oldest ballparks in America, unveiled prior to Red Sox 2018 home opener on time and with no lawsuit like in Sarasota.

Christian Ziegler: In November 2018, Christian Ziegler was elected to the County Commission of Sarasota County. District 2 Vice Char Christian Ziegler was up for election in 2022 he did not run. Christian Ziegler was one of the Sarasota County Commissioners who voted NO on the $513,000 settlement offer from Gilbane in December 2020 over concerns about defective flooring at Ed Smith baseball stadium. Christian Ziegler was NOT on the Sarasota County Commission in 2017 when the board approved the Million dollar replacement of all the flooring at Ed Smith stadium. Sarasota County’s Procurement Department approved a "Million Dollar Single Source Request NO BID CONTRACT" on August 10th, 2017 for PremUS of Orlando to install new resin flooring at Ed Smith baseball stadium, a memo showed. The form explaining that process said, “With a deadline for completing a major portion of the work before Spring Training in March 2018, there is not time to allow multiple vendors to provide test patches and prove their products, systems and methods are successful." This No Bid Contract violates Florida State Law. So why and at whose direction did Sarasota County Commissioner Charles Hines pay almost double $1,079,243, to have new resin flooring installed in December 2017 to replace the 39,800 square feet of so called defective MMA flooring at Ed Smith stadium. Why was this amount $1,079,243 (double original cost) paid to PremUS in Orlando with a NO BID, single source contract out of Tourist Development Council (TDC) money when the original winning bid in 2013 by Advance Flooring was $513,787, what the hell?

FLorida Statute 255.0525  Advertising for competitive bids or proposals.— The solicitation of competitive bids or proposals for any county, municipality, or other political subdivision construction project that is projected to cost more than $200,000 shall be publicly advertised at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the project is located at least 21 days prior to the established bid opening and at least 5 days prior to any scheduled pre-bid conference. The solicitation of competitive bids or proposals for any county, municipality, or other political subdivision construction project that is projected to cost more than $500,000 shall be publicly advertised at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the project is located at least 30 days prior to the established bid opening and at least 5 days prior to any scheduled prebid conference. Bids or proposals shall be received and opened at the location, date, and time established in the bid or proposal advertisement.


Don't get me wrong here, Ed Smith baseball Stadium is probably the finest Spring Training Baseball Stadium on the West Coast of Florida. I buy 10 tickets every year for 5 selected games and usually go up to the 2nd floor concourse and the 3rd Base Lounge enclosed seating area. Everything is great at Ed Smith Stadium to the casual observer, but there are, or were, some very disturbing and underlying events that needed further investigation.

UPDATE Dec 17th, 2022 THE HAMMER FELL! Former Sarasota County Attorney Bora S. Kayan was behind the failed Million Dollar Lawsuit filed on Defendant Gilbane Building Construction in November 2016 over supposed flooring defects at Ed Smith baseball Stadium, that weren't, or so he said. As of December 12th, 2022 Judge Walker has ruled and issued an ORDER that Plaintiff Sarasota County now has to pay Defendant Gilbane's Attorney Costs of $120,000.00 on or before December 31st, 2022. Because Sarasota County refused settlement offers of a total of $563,000 from Defendant Gilbane during the 4 year and 5 months long lawsuit, which Sarasota County lost. The Sarasota - Gilbane case was a non Jury case with the Judge the deciding factor. Judge Walker was recorded to have said "This is the longest non-jury trial I have ever encountered". Sarasota County will be writing a check for $120,0000 to Gilbane, the Defendant in the Sarasota County lawsuit fiasco over flooring at Ed Smith baseball Stadium, WOW how stupid! Former Sarasota County attorney Bora Kayan who led the charge, appears to have left the Sarasota County Attorney office sometime in August 2022. In the end result Judge Walker ruled that the resin flooring on the 1st and 2nd floor concourses of Ed Smith Stadium were not defective in itself, but the wrong type of outdoor resin flooring for the Florida high heat and torrential rains. Christian Ziegler - District 2 Vice Char up for election in 2022, was one of the County Commissioners who voted to not take the $513,000 settlement from Gilbane. Also Plaintiff Sarasota County has some culpability in the failure of the resin floors as maintenance people were power washing the resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, even at the seam areas, forcing water under the resin flooring and causing it to delaminate and break loose from the concrete substrate, WOW! And it gets worse, read on! 

UPDATE December 6th 2022. "THE HAMMER TO FALL" Upcoming, Judge Walker has decided how much the Plaintiff Sarasota County Commissioners are going to pay the attorney for Defendant Gilbane Building Const in the failed Million Dollar Lawsuit, (Bora S. Kayan was lead attorney for County for most part, he has left the County office) over supposed defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, that was and wasn't. You will not read about any of this Sarasota County fiasco in the local Herald Tribune newspaper or see any reports on Local ABC7 News. The Plaintiff Sarasota County lost the 4 years 5 months long lawsuit and now has to pay the Defendant Gilbane's attorney legal costs, WTH? The last two years Sarasota County has filed appeal after appeal to not pay! Attorney Bora S. Kayan is no longer with Sarasota County. Builder Resume: Gilbane Building had successfully renovated iconic Fenway park for the Boston Red Sox baseball team and also renovated Camden Yards for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team but drew complaints and a lawsuit from Sarasota County over supposed flooring problems at little Ed Smith stadium, the spring training facility for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. So far, Plaintiff Sarasota County filed the complaint (lost) and multiple appeals with the County clerk costing a total of $1,561.00 with no results. Pages of Motions after Motions were filed  dragging this dead horse to some sort of a finish line after a total of 6 years in December 2022. The County Complaint first filed against Defendant Gilbane Building Const on Nov 30, 2016. How many man hours wasted during this debacle? Who files a lawsuit, rejects settlement offers of $563,000, losses the case after 4 years and 5 months and ends up having to pay the Defendant Gilbane's attorney legal costs of $120,000.00, Sarasota County does, you can't make this stupid stuff up, LOL.

UPDATED Tuesday December 6th, 2022. Information in my article is pulled from Public records and my first hand knowledge of the so called flooring problems at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota Fl. Christian Ziegler - District 2 Vice Char up for election in 2022, was one of the County Commissioners who voted to not take the $513,000 settlement from Gilbane. My comments and this article are my opinion as a tax paying home owner and business owner in Sarasota County for over 28 years. Information in my article is protected as free speech under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. The First Amendment protects your speech from government censorship. It applies to federal, state, and local government actors. I won't be silent on this case. 

SUNDAY AUGUST 14th 2022, Motion filed to recoup legal Legal Costs for Gilbane Building Co Attorney Thomas Dart from Sarasota County in their failed lawsuit. Sarasota County's final Appeal has failed, Court Final Judgment on August 12, 2022. Sarasota County is now liable for Gilbane's attorney Thomas Dart Legal Costs during the 4 years 5 months long trial. In the ever ongoing Ed Smith Stadium lawsuit over the supposed defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, that wasn't, Sarasota County as Plaintiff lost the case with Bora S. Kayan the lead attorney for the most part, Gilbane Builders as Defendant prevailed. The attorney for Gilbane, Thomas Dart, previously had filed a Motion to recover Attorney Fees and Legal Costs in Feb 2022 as Sarasota County refused proposed settlements offers of $50,000 and then $513,000 during the 4 years 5 months long Lawsuit, Sarasota County lost the case. The Judge approved recovery of Legal Costs for Gilbane's Attorney Thomas Dart, Sarasota County then filed multiple appeals to block payment. I won't be silent on this case, I don't condone tax-paying citizens (property owners and business owners) being silenced when it comes to monies squandered by Sarasota County Commissioners (refused $513,000 final settlement in Dec 2020 from Gilbane) "advised" by the Sarasota County attorneys office.


It appears that on November 2nd 2022, (just prior to General Elections Nov 8) Judge Walker is going to determine just how much the Sarasota County Commissioners are going to have to pay Gilbane Building in the failed Million Dollar Lawsuit over supposed defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, that wasn't. It appears to me some of the County Commissioners should be not be re-elected. Christian Ziegler - District 2 Vice Char up for election in 2022, was one of the County Commissioners who voted to not take the $513,000 settlement from Gilbane. It does not take a CPA to figure that Legal Costs entailed from a 4 years long Lawsuit will be substantial! What do they say "a fool and his money are soon parted". Apparently as of the date of this article Attorney Bora S. Kayan who worked at Sarasota County for the last 5 years and lead Attorney on the failed Gilbane Lawsuit has left as the head of the County litigation department in mid August 2022. Mr. Bora S. Kayan appears to be now working for Morgan & Morgan 2222 S Tamiami Trl Sarasota, FL as an associate.

On Feb 16th, 2022 the Judge in the case DENIED Attorney Fees but GRANTED Legal Costs for Gilbane's attorney, the actual cost has yet to be determined. The Attorney for Gilbane had requested in the original Motion for Attorney Fees and Legal Costs (like Expert Witnesses and Investigation costs) on Oct 8th, 2021 a total of $609,211, he is not getting that amount. Florida Statute 57.041 Costs; recovery from losing party in Lawsuit.—(1) The party recovering judgment shall recover all his or her legal costs and charges which shall be included in the judgment. The Judge's ruling in the Ed Smith Stadium lawsuit is a crushing blow to the Sarasota County Attorney Office and the Sarasota County Commissioners who in the end had no case, received nothing in their lawsuit filed on Gilbane, and passed on the last settlement offer of $513,000 from Gilbane, WTH? “Stupid is as stupid does”. Local media, the Herald Tribune and ABC7 News in Sarasota have nothing to say about this abhorrent waste of County Tax Payers and Tourist Development Council (TDC) money, WTH?

DECEMBER 6th, 2021: SARASOTA COUNTY COULD END UP LOSING OVER $2 MILLION IN LAWSUIT FILED ON GILBANE BUILDERS ABOUT DEFECTIVE FLOORING AT ED SMITH STADIUM, THAT WASN'T. Why isn't the Herald Tribune newspaper or ABC- 7 Local News TV reporting on the disastrous results of Sarasota County's lawsuit filed on Gilbane Building company over the "supposed flooring defects" at Ed Smith Stadium? ? There is no way to sugarcoat the colossal blunder by Sarasota County lead attorney Bora S. Kayan and the Sarasota County Commissioners in not accepting the 2nd settlement offer of $513,000 from Gilbane Building in the Ed Smith stadium lawsuit. Sarasota County Commissioners refused a 2nd settlement offer of $513,000 from Gilbane to settle the Ed Smith Stadium Lawsuit in December 2020, then Sarasota County lost the 4 years 5 months long lawsuit to Gilbane in the Judge's Preliminary ruling in July of 2021 and then the Judge's Final ruling in Sept 2021. The Sarasota County Attorney's office advises the Sarasota County Commissioners in all legal matters such as the the Ed Smith lawsuit. Christian Ziegler - District 2 Vice Char up for election in 2022, was one of the County Commissioners who voted to not take the $513,000 settlement from Gilbane. In refusing the Gilbane settlement offer of $513,000 and then losing the lawsuit to Gilbane, Sarasota County became liable for all of Gilbane's attorney fees and legal costs which appears to be $609,711, (Judge ruled legal costs only) how utterly moronic! People need to be fired, new people need to be elected to the Sarasota County Commission. General Elections (11/8/2022) Sarasota Board of County Commissioners up for Election in District 2 and District 4, vote them out.
 
In an effort to save face, Sarasota County Attorney Bora Kayan has filed multiple Appeals throwing Hoyt Architecture and the Baltimore Orioles under the bus claiming they were responsible for the choice of the BASF resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium Sarasota in 2013 that supposedly turned defective, that wasn't. The Baltimore Orioles have the same BASF resin flooring at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the beautiful baseball-only facility in downtown Baltimore, became the official home of the Orioles on April 6, 1992. Camden Yards, Oriole Park was built on the site of the Saloon/apartment owned by Babe Ruth's father and the birthplace of baseball's most legendary hero. On the other hand, Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota Fl was built on the former site of the City Dump, ironic, eh? Bora Sabih Kayan is a lawyer who is able to handle cases that fall under Construction Litigation, Premises Liability, Insurance Defense, Personal Injury Protection and related legal areas.

SARASOTA COUNTY COULD END UP LOSING OVER $2 MILLION IN A LAWSUIT THEY FILED ON GILBANE BUILDERS ABOUT DEFECTIVE FLOORING AT ED SMITH STADIUM. As of October 11th 2021, Thomas Dart the attorney for Gilbane Building claims he billed Gilbane a total of $609,711 in legal fees during the 4 years 5 months long  Sarasota County v Gilbane Lawsuit. Mr Dart has filed a Motion requesting Sarasota County reimburse Gilbane the $609,711 he was paid during the Sarasota County lawsuit, the Motion was granted to move forward but Judge ruled only legal costs not attorney fees. Sarasota County lost their lawsuit filed against Gilbane that was initially filed in 2016. Sarasota County rejected an offer of $513,000 to settle the supposed defective BASF resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium from Gilbane back in December 2020. Since Sarasota County had rejected all of Gilbane's offers to settle the lawsuit and the Judge ruled in favor for Gilbane during the lawsuit and Sarasota County received $0 in the case, the County now became liable for all of Gilbane's legal costs, how stupid. And to make matters worse Sarasota County had replaced all the supposed defective BASF resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium in December 2017 at their own expense paying $1,079,243 which is more than double the initial cost of installation of $513,000 back in 2013. The lawsuit filed by Sarasota County on Gilbane has racked up expenses for the County including possible legal fees and flooring replacement that could tally $2,201,954. The Baltimore Orioles baseball team couldn't have been too happy with former Sarasota County attorney Bora Kayan filing an Appeal making them out to be the bad guys in the Gilbane lawsuit fiasco at Ed Smith Stadium! The Herald Tribune covers Sarasota County Government and the County Commissioners has not told the Ed Smith Stadium lawsuit fiasco story to the citizens of Sarasota County, why not? Where is the Herald Tribune newspaper's accountability to the citizens of Sarasota County?

UPDATE SEPT 2nd 2021: JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF GILBANE COMPANY IN SARASOTA COUNTY FLOORING FIASCO LAWSUIT, SARASOTA COUNTY WILL RECOVER NOTHING IN THIS ACTION, CASE CLOSED! SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REJECTED A $513,000 GOOD FAITH SETTLEMENT OFFER FROM GILBANE IN DECEMBER 2020. NOW SARASOTA COUNTY IS LIABLE FOR ALL OF GILBANE'S LEGAL AND ATTORNEY FEES, WHAT THE HELL? The Judge further ruled only legal costs not attorney fees. This is a colossal blunder by the Sarasota County Commissioners and Bora Kayan of the County Attorney's Office, the lead attorney, who advised the Commissioners during the 4 years 5 months long Gilbane Lawsuit. County Commissioners are an elected position in Sarasota, some of them are up for re-election in 2022. Christian Ziegler - District 2 Vice Char up for election in 2022, was one of the County Commissioners who voted to not take the $513,000 settlement from Gilbane. All positions with the Office of the County Attorney in Sarasota are at-will employment which is an employer's ability to dismiss, (fire) an employee for any reason without having to establish "just cause" for termination, and without warning. It appears to me some people should be not be re-elected and some should be fired at Sarasota County government offices for this Gilbane lawsuit fiasco were hundreds of thousands of dollars of Sarasota County money were lost with more to come when Judge rules on how much of Gilbane's legal expenses will be paid by Sarasota County! How stupid! Will the Herald Tribune ever reveal to the residents of Sarasota County what happened with the Ed Smith stadium lawsuit?

HAMMER TO FALL! Sept 17, 2021, The Gilbane Building company through its attorney has filed a Motion to recoup all attorney fees and legal expenses (beginning from March 14, 2017) incurred during the "Defective Flooring Fiasco Lawsuit" filed by Sarasota County back in Nov 2016. Judge ruled legal costs only. Gilbane prevailed in the lawsuit, Sarasota County recovered $0. Gilbane offered Sarasota a cash settlement of $50,000 in 2017 and $513,000 in Dec 2020, Sarasota County refused both offers and ended up with $0 in the lawsuit and now liable to pay Gilbane's legal fees, just freakin brilliant! The actual amount that Sarasota County is liable for in Gilbane's legal cost expenses is $120,000. Costs racked up during the 4 years and 5 months that the case lingered in Sarasota County court. Sarasota County Deputy Attorney Bora Kayan has been noted as the lead attorney for Sarasota County in the Gilbane "Motion to Recover Attorney Fees and Legal Expenses" and it appears he was heavily involved with the lawsuit after he came on board with the County in May 2017. LOCAL MEDIA in the Sarasota area are not reporting on this legal disaster and colossal blunder by the Sarasota County Attorney Office and the Sarasota County Commissioners. As a licensed private investigator in the State of Florida for the last 28 years my focus has been the investigation of a person or persons for the purpose of obtaining information with reference to any of the following matters: identity, habits, conduct, movements, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, fraud, reputation, or character of any society, person, or group of persons. I have worked with clients over the years who have had judgements on individuals and I always advised my clients to take what funds were available when found, something is better that NOTHING. Bill Warner Investigations is a Florida-based global research investigative firm specializing in political violence, political corruption, fraud, criminal profiling and terrorism since 1995. We have worked as consultant to the FBI, ICE and the US Secret Service.

INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE FROM PUBLIC RECORDS & NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT ED SMITH STADIUM SARASOTA. Back on Thursday July 15th, 2021: Judge's Preliminary Ruling in Sarasota County Defective Flooring Fiasco Lawsuit at Ed Smith Stadium Leans Towards Defendant Gilbane. Case Number: 2016 CA 006035 NC Original File Date 11/30/2016, Judge Walker states on Thurs 7/15/2021, "This is an important case and I understand that, but sometimes a ruling by a Judge is binary, there is no middle ground. I want you to know Mr. (Bora) Kayan for Sarasota County Plaintiff, while I have stated clearly that I am bending toward ruling towards the Defendants (Gilbane) in this case that's not a reflection of your legal work." Judge Walker continues by saying, "This is the longest non-jury trial I have ever encountered, I have found that some of the evidence put forth by the Defendant (Gilbane) to be compelling and therefore ultimately would carry their position". Bora Sabih Kayan is a Construction Litigation attorney working in the Office of the Sarasota County Attorney with over 24 years of experience in Defective and Dangerous Products, Construction Litigation and Premises Liability cases, he was hired in May 2017. Bora Kayan became the lead attorney for Sarasota County in the Gilbane lawsuit.

HERALD TRIBUNE WROTE in Jan 2021: Sarasota County Commissioners has rejected a $513,000 settlement proposal from the company that renovated Ed Smith Stadium. The county filed the lawsuit in 2016 against Gilbane Building Co because of alleged cracks and defects in the concrete concourse and the subsequent BASF MMA resin flooring that was installed over the cracked concrete concourses that ultimately failed at the Baltimore Orioles’ spring training home Ed Smith stadium in Sarasota Fl. Woulda, coulda shoulda took the $513,000 cash money offer Bora. Apparently 'thermal shock' and excessive power washing of the resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, especially at the seams, contributed to the failure of the BASF MMA resin flooring adhering to the concrete floors.

Apparently the end result of the 'cause and effect' of the so called defective BASF MMA resin flooring on the 1st floor and 2nd floor open air concourses at Ed Smith stadium is water intrusion under the resin flooring causing it to de-laminate and the Florida extreme heat and heavy rain from tropical type storms resulting in thermal shock. Exposed resin flooring on 2nd floor concourse at Ed Smith stadium could go from 110 degrees down to 70 degrees in a matter of minutes after a thunderstorm on a hot August day. 

The Judge ruled that "frequent power washing" of the resin flooring on the 1st floor and 2nd floor concourses at Ed Smith stadium (power washing even at the seams) and thermal shock appear to have caused the resin flooring to separate from the concrete. NEWSFLASH the BASF MMA resin flooring on the concourses at Ed Smith stadium was not bullet proof, "good grief".  QUOTE: A variety of factors contribute to the need for durable stadium flooring. “Thermal shock is the biggest issue, which can cause the floor to de-laminate. Thermal shock is caused by extreme changes in temperatures, and existing epoxy and vinyl floor systems can’t handle those temperatures (like in Florida),” says Paul Patuka, president of Advanced Surfaces Corp., Douglasville, GA. 

The Judge has ruled that there is no actual defect in the BASF MMA resin flooring or it's installation by Advanced Flooring in 2013 at Ed smith stadium under contract with Gilbane Building Company and that Sarasota County was responsible for any proper upkeep, cleaning and repairs of the resin flooring at Ed Smith stadium, CASE CLOSED. The Judge's preliminary ruling held true and he ruled in favor of the defendant Gilbane based on evidence that Sarasota County and the architect Hoyt were responsible in part for the flooring failure at Ed Smith Stadium due to excessive power washing, thermal shock and the architect Hoyt specifying a flooring product that could not hold up under Florida weather extremes. There was no fault for Gilbane Company or Advance Flooring, (the MMA resin flooring installer), or even the MMA resin flooring itself, it was just the wrong product for the environment. Back in 2009, David M. Schwartz Architects and Sarasota’s Hoyt Architects were the initial choices by the Baltimore Orioles and Janet Marie Smith to make over Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium as the spring home of the Orioles.

It is my opinion that after all the facts became clear and the judge ruled in the "Sarasota County v Gilbane" lawsuit that Deputy County Attorney Bora Kayan should have been fired for his part in Sarasota County rejecting the $513,000 Gilbane offer to settle the Ed Smith Stadium flooring fiasco back in December 2020. It is the job of the County Attorney's office to advises the Sarasota County Commissioners in all legal matters. Mr Kayan was initially not involved in filing the Gilbane lawsuit back in 2016 but he became the lead attorney sometime in 2017. In 2020, Bora Kayan made $146,098 by working as a Deputy County Attorney at the Sarasota County. Bora Kayan's salary was 40% higher than the average and 51% higher than median Deputy County Attorney salary in 2020. Woulda, coulda shoulda, took the Gilbane cash money settlement Bora Kayan and Sarasota County Commissioners. What now?

Sarasota County, at their own expense, had replaced all the 'so called defective' BASF MMA resin flooring at Ed Smith stadium in December 2017 at a cost of $1.1 Million dollars, money came from the Sarasota County Tourist Development Council (TDC). Why did Sarasota County spend $1.1 Million dollars (no bid - single source contract) to replace all the resin flooring at Ed Smith stadium in DECEMBER 2017 when they had an active lawsuit in place on the builder Gilbane since OCTOBER 2016 who eventually in DECEMBER 2020 offered a settlement of $513,000 which Sarasota County refused, WTH? Makes no financial sense, were baseball fans tripping and falling all over the stadium, WHAT'S THE RUSH TO REPLACE FLOORING? Maybe the County needs to hire somebody who can add and subtract and make better financial decisions, like a CPA.

HERALD TRIBUNE WRITES: Sarasota County Rejects $513,000 Gilbane December 2020 Settlement Offer in Defective Flooring Lawsuit After Paying $1.1 Million to Replace Defective Flooring in December 2017. Sarasota County tax paying residents and all Sarasota County voters have a right to know why the County refused a $513,000 settlement offer in the Ed Smith stadium lawsuit and decided to let it ride, and roll the dice and now apparently ending up with nothing? They would just love a guy like Sarasota Deputy County Attorney Bora Kayan in Los Vegas who let's $513,000 ride on the pass line going for double or nothing and then rolls snake eyes (if you wager the pass line and roll snake eyes, two, you then lose your bet, if you roll a 7 or a 11 you double your bet). 

The bosses at the Bellagio Casino in Los Vegas would send a plane and comp a room for such a "high roller" as Mr Kayan. Sarasota Deputy County Attorney Bora Kayan was leading the charge to recoup monies lost from the flooring fiasco lawsuit at Ed Smith Stadium. It doesn't take a CPA to figure out that Sarasota County should have taken the $513,000 settlement offer from Gilbane in December 2020 instead of rolling the dice and "Let It Ride", Mr Kayan! Sarasota County is now be liable for all of Gilbane's legal expenses, which after 4 years and 9 months would be substantial! This is a colossal blunder by the Sarasota County Commissioners and Bora Kayan of the County Attorney's Office who advised the Commissioners during the Gilbane Lawsuit, shoulda, coulda, woulda took the $513,000 cash Mr Kayan!  

Sarasota County Commissioners appoint the County Attorney who serves as legal adviser to the Commission, they should all be fired after this colossal blunder in the Gilbane lawsuit, they passed up the $513,000 sure thing and end up with $0, such fools! VOTE THEM OUT: Sarasota Board of County Commissioners, Districts 2 and 4 up for election in 2022. The current list of Sarasota Board of County Commissioners:
Michael A. Moran - District 1
Christian Ziegler - District 2
Vice Char up for election 2022
Nancy C. Detert - District 3
Alan Maio - District 4 Chair up for election 2022
Ron Cutsinger - District 5

Deputy County Attorney Bora Kayan and the Sarasota County Commissioners "decision" to reject the $513,000 offer from Gilbane in the Ed Smith 'Flooring Fiasco' lawsuit was very, very foolish. Sarasota County is now very possibly liable for Gilbane the Builder's Legal and Attorney fees! Generally, the state of Florida follows the “American rule,” meaning that each party in a civil lawsuit is responsible for his or her own attorney fees regardless of the outcome of the case. There is an important, albeit limited, exception to this general rule, however. Under Florida Statutes § 768.79 and Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.442, there is a possibility of shifting a portion of a winning party’s attorney fees and costs to the losing party in some cases. To fall under Rule 1.442, sometimes called the “Florida Settlement Rule,” several requirements must be met. A party seeking to enforce the rule must try his or her case in front of a jury or Judge and receive a verdict in his or her favor. The successful litigant must have, at least 45 days prior to trial, tendered a detailed, written proposed settlement offer to the party against whom the verdict was rendered, Gilbane offered $513,000 in December 2020. Finally, there must have been at least a 25% difference between the settlement offer and the jury’s verdict or Judge's verdict which Sarasota County, due to Attorney Bora Kayan's efforts, will recover $0. Sarasota County Florida records show Deputy County Attorney Bora S. Kayan held multiple County Attorney jobs from 2017 to 2019. One of the most recent records in 2020 lists a job of Deputy County Attorney for Bora S. Kayan and a pay of $146,098. In 2020, Bora Kayan made $146,098 by working as a Deputy County Attorney at the Sarasota County. Bora Kayan's salary was 40% higher than the average and 51% higher than median Deputy County Attorney salary in 2020. This pay for Mr kayan is 182.0 percent higher than the average pay for co-workers and 130.4 percent higher than the national average for government employees, gee, how about that. Do you think Mr Kayan would bet his yearly salary on a roll of the dice? As of 2020, top dog Sarasota County Attorney Rick Elbrecht will receive a salary of $236,584 a year, he is Mr Kayan's boss. When it comes to local elected County representatives who craft policy and make WISE decisions, Sarasota County Commissioners earn $91,821 yearly most have income from other business ventures or are attorneys. 

COURT RULING , attorney Bora Sabih Kayan for Sarasota County vs Gilbane. Judge Stephen Walker FINALLY ruled on the ongoing, 4 years and 9 months, lawsuit filed by Sarasota County on Gilbane the Builder who did the renovations at the Baltimore Orioles Ed Smith stadium in Sarasota Fl. Sarasota County was claiming 'construction defects' most specifically cracked concrete in the 1st and 2nd floor concourse walkways and the subsequent resin flooring (as chosen by the Baltimore Orioles) that was installed during a change order in 2013 to cover the cracked concrete. The BASF MMA resin flooring also proved to be "defective", so claimed the Sarasota County lawsuit and attorney Bora Kayan for the County. This resin flooring installed in 2013 at Ed Smith Stadium is the same resin flooring the Baltimore Orioles have at their home ballpark, Camden Yards. The Baltimore Orioles pushed hard for Sarasota County to use the resin flooring at Ed Smith stadium and even paid $383,840 of the $513,787 change order in 2013 that saw the BASF MMA resin flooring installed to cover all the ugly cracks in the concrete floors of the 1st and 2nd floor concourses at Ed Smith stadium, but not on the stairs or the landings leading up to the 2nd floor concourses. Defective Flooring Debacle at Ed Smith Stadium is Black Eye for Sarasota County Commissioners, Over $1 Mill Lost From Sarasota County TDC to replace all the flooring in 2017 and a loss of $513,000 when County Commissioners rejected the offer from Gilbane to settle the case.

Is the Baltimore Orioles renovated Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota sinking into the land fill and wetlands that it was built on? Most likely the cracked concrete floors (and columns) on the 1st and 2nd floor concourses at Ed Smith Stadium that were the focus of a major lawsuit were caused by the building sinking into the old city dump that it was built on? The Orioles, under the direction of ballpark whiz Janet Marie Smith, partnered with the city of Sarasota on a renovation that turned a limited ballpark on a small footprint – literally built on the city dump, no less – into one of the nicer (larger) facilities in the Grapefruit League, but problems ensued over the years as the ED SMITH STADIUM facility shifted, settled and sunk into the junk.

HOW STUPID....DON'T BUILD A HEAVY, SPRAWLING, 2 STORY CONCRETE BASEBALL STADIUM OVER THE CITY DUMP: It is difficult enough to put up a large heavy building in Florida without having to deal with cracked concrete floors from time to time as the substrate in Florida is just sand and the bedrock underlying most of the state is either limestone or dolostone, which is naturally soluble and is easily dissolved by rainwater and groundwater. But TO build a large two story concrete baseball stadium over the city dump filled with old rusting cars and refrigerators sinking into the ground and you are going to have a hell of a time with cracked concrete floors, walls, etc, etc, how stupid.

The smelly Sarasota city dump was located on the north side from 17th street to 12th street where trash was burned in the open air. The City of Sarasota and Sarasota County entered into several inter-local agreements in 2009 and 2010 when the $30 million spring training complex was approved. The parties outlined the transfer of Ed Smith Stadium to the county under a number of conditions and included an agreement that $1 million the county owed the city would be placed in an environmental reserve account to be used to clean up the remains of an old landfill (SARASOTA CITY DUMP) that sits under the stadium. 

The money, $1 million, according to the agreement, is to be used to pump out contaminated water approximately 27-feet below the Ed Smith stadium that sits on top of the old Sarasota City Dump.  “This facility is built on an old landfill,” head groundskeeper Dan Thomas said of Ed Smith Stadium. When you become head grounds keeper for a world-class baseball field, you don’t expect it to be built on top of a landfill. But, for Dan Thomas the groundskeeper at Ed Smith Stadium training facility for the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota, Florida, that’s exactly what happened. Dan Thomas has been taking care of the Ed Smith Stadium field — and the Orioles’ other 13 spring training fields, some of which are behind Ed Smith, some of which are at Twin Lakes Park, for almost 12 years. 

But beneath the 2.5 acres of manicured 54 Bermuda grass lies an old, old landfill, the Sarasota City Dump. “We don’t have the best growing conditions,” admits groundskeeper Dan Thomas. “It’s been a difficult time to get the grass growing consistently. And, when we do renovations, it’s not unusual to find trash and maybe even a tire or two.” "A lot of the irrigation work has some interesting objects around it. "We have had irrigation lines running through a car, underground". When we have had irrigation line breaks and we dig the holes to repair them, we’ve pulled out full-size car tires, women’s purses, etc. "It’s interesting what we find in the ground here", said Dan Thomas.”

Defective Flooring Debacle at Ed Smith Stadium is Black Eye for Sarasota County Commission, Over $1 Mill Lost From TDC. HERALD TRIB WRITES: Sarasota County Rejects $513,000 Gilbane December 2020 Offer in Defective Flooring Lawsuit After Paying $1.1 Million to Replace Defective Flooring in December 2017. “We don’t want you to think that we’re not seeking to get [the money] back, $1,079,243.00 ” Commissioner Charles Hines told Council members. BACK STORY ON LAWSUIT: On Jan 8, 2013 Sarasota County issued a change order to add MMA resin flooring to cover cracked concrete floors on 1st and 2nd floor concourses at Ed Smith Stadium, the total cost was $513,787. Baltimore Orioles agreed to pay the majority of the change order for new resin flooring at $383,840, Sarasota County to pay $54,148, and Gilbane to pay $78,798. It appears that Sarasota County wants the $513,000 settlement offer from Gilbane for the defective concrete and flooring PLUS the $1,079,243.00 that Sarasota county paid on their own dime to replace all the defective resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium, for a total of $1,592,243.00. It doesn't take a CPA to figure out that this extra money spent on the defective flooring by Sarasota County will be hard fought to recoup, good luck.

It appears that Sarasota County is looking to recoup at least $513,000 for the so-called construction defects from Gilbane at Ed Smith stadium and also $1,079,243 the amount Sarasota County paid in December 2017 to replace all the defective MMA flooring at the direction of County commissioner Charles Hines to PremUS of Orlando. Apparently Sarasota County did not want to subject the Spring 2018 baseball fans at the Baltimore Orioles Ed Smith stadium to any trip hazards caused by the defective resin flooring, so they spent $1.1 Million Dollars in December 2017 to replace it all, regardless of the ongoing Lawsuit, what the hell? Sarasota County Deputy County Attorney Bora Kayan was leading the charge to recoup monies lost from the flooring fiasco at the Baltimore Orioles Ed Smith stadium.

Defective and Dangerous Flooring: The MMA resin flooring installed in 2013 at Ed Smith stadium proved "defective" and cracked, delaminated and separated all over Ed Smith stadium shortly after installation, especially on the 2nd floor concourse as per records from the County lawsuit. Sarasota County officials were well aware of the extremely hazardous trip conditions for the baseball fans with the defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium for at least 3 years but did little other than occasionally make temporary patch repairs with PremUS of Orlando who was paid $48,000 for all the repairs. Sarasota County filed a lawsuit on Gilbane the builder in Nov 2016 due to the "so called" defective MMA flooring. Original File Date 11/30/2016.

Gilbane offered a settlement of $513,000 in December 2020 but Sarasota County rejected the offer as they are out of pocket $1,079,243 the amount they paid in December 2017 to replace all the so called defective MMA flooring at the direction of County commissioner Charles Hines. Gilbane's settlement offer in December 2020 of $513,000 in regards to the so called defective MMA flooring at Ed Smith Stadium appears to be very fair based on what was paid for the installation of the original MMA resin coating in 2013, which was a total amount of $513,787. 

So where and why and at whose direction did Sarasota County Commissioner Charles Hines pay almost double, $1,079,243, to have new resin flooring installed in December 2017 to replace the 39,800 square feet of defective MMA flooring at Ed Smith stadium. Why was this amount $1,079,243 (double original cost) paid to PremUS in Orlando with a NO BID, single source contract out of Tourist Development Council (TDC) money when the original winning bid in 2013 by Advance Flooring was $513,787, what the hell? Charles D. Hines was elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2012 and in 2016. He also served as its chair in 2014 and was the 2019 chair, he left at end of 2020, Hines was also the Chairman of the Sarasota Tourist Development Council (TDC) until the end of 2020. The Sarasota Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommends tourism policy to the County Commission and oversees the use of tourist development tax revenues, pursuant to Florida law. SARASOTA COUNTY STADIUM BOONDOGGLE: The County's decision to use TDC funds to replace the defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium while a Civil Lawsuit with the the Builder rages on in County Court over the same issue is a misappropriation of public money in my opinion, $1.1 Million Dollars of TDC money.

September 13, 2017

 

9:00 a.m.

SARASOTA COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER

1660 RINGLING BOULEVARD

COMMISSION CHAMBER

SARASOTA, FLORIDA


 

Paul Caragiulo, Chairman, District 2

Nancy C. Detert, Vice Chair, District 3

Michael A. Moran, District 1

Alan Maio, District 4

Charles D. Hines, District 5

 


PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES


To approve a construction contract with PremUs of Orlando, Inc. for the removal and replacement of the flooring system at Ed Smith Stadium, in an amount not to exceed $1,079,243.00, and authorize the County Administrator to execute the contract upon receipt of a performance and payment bond in the contract amount.

 

The 2020 Florida Statutes; in Florida all state and local government public works construction projects (Ed Smith Stadium) must follow the public bidding and procurement laws, which seek to protect the public against the squandering of public funds and prevent abuses such as fraud, waste, and favoritism. Local governments are required to provide public notice and to competitively award public works construction contracts, unless an exception applies, such as where the estimated cost of the project will be less than $200,000 (Ed Smith Stadium flooring replacement was $1.1 Million dollars). "It doesn't take a CPA to figure out that Sarasota County overpaid by hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the defective flooring at Ed Smith stadium replaced with $1.1 Million Dollars out of TDC.

Way back in Jan 2013 Sarasota County put out for bid 39,800 square feet of BASF MMA resin flooring to be installed to cover cracks in concrete on 1st and 2nd floor concourses at Ed Smith Stadium, the Baltimore Orioles strongly urged the use of this specific BASF MMA resin flooring. In the Jan 2013 bid process for the MMA flooring at Ed Smith stadium "Advance systems flooring" won the bid with a price of $513,787, PremUS of Orlando came in second at $610,000 and there was a long list of several other bidders who did not make the cut. The BASF MMA resin flooring was pushed for use by the Baltimore Orioles but eventually failed in the sub tropical climate of Sarasota Fl and frequent power washing by the County. During a period of a least 4 years, attempts were made by Sarasota County to have the flooring replaced and or at least repaired by Gilbane, Advance and BASF to no avail. It appears that in 2015 and 2016 Sarasota County started to use PremUS of Orlando to make spot repairs in the MMA resin flooring at Ed Smith stadium. When it got to the point of no return, no resolve, Sarasota County filed a lawsuit on the builder Gilbane in Nov 2016. Original File Date 11/30/2016.

In the Sarasota County lawsuit on builder Gilbane, photos were submitted on March 31, 2021 (taken on June 16, 2016) showing the deteriorating condition of the 39,800 square feet of MMA flooring on the 1st and 2nd floor concourse walkways at Ed Smith stadium, seams were split open with cracks and holes in the flooring appeared to be everywhere. For some reason Sarasota County decided in August of 2017 to replace all the defective flooring at Ed Smith Stadium at their own expense, $1,079,243, regardless of the Gilbane lawsuit. Instead of using the long list of flooring contractor bidders from the 2013 flooring project, who had all the initial requirements, measurements, scope of the project, etc, and have them re-bid the project, it never happened, the County gave the contract to PremUS with no bid! What is the connection between PremUS of Orlando and the members of the Sarasota County Commissioners in 2017, who knows who? Sarasota County Commissioners gave PremUS of Orlando the $1.1 Million Dollar project, no questions asked and without a competitive bid, this violates State law. The County used the excuse that the flooring was so bad, especially on the 2nd floor concourse, that they had to have the flooring replaced ASAP without using the bidding process to remove tripping points at seams separated in the MMA resin flooring and make the flooring (Stadium) safe for the March 2018 spring training baseball fans (why all of a sudden then?). In the end result the County appears to have paid $1,079,243, or double, for a job that should have cost them about $513,787 plus cost to rip up old flooring. The County appears to have kept hidden the numbers of the 2013 winning bid of $513,787 for the original MMA resin flooring application, until recently.  

"The County’s Procurement Department had approved the “single-source request” NO BID CONTRACT on August 10th, 2017 for PremUS of Orlando a memo showed. The form explaining that process said, “With a deadline for completing a major portion of the work before Spring Training in March 2018, there is not time to allow multiple vendors to provide test patches and prove their products, systems and methods are successful." Delaying the installation to after Spring Training 2018 would require the additional cost of temporary and unsightly repairs to make the surfaces that are failing safe,” said Charles Hines. The money for the work was to come out of a TDC fund set aside for capital projects and events, the memo noted."

County Commissioner Charles Hines said in December 2017, "no problem we will get the $1.1 Million back from Gilbane" in conjunction with the Nov 2016 lawsuit to replace the defective flooring, no problem. Now, Gilbane comes forward with a $513,000 settlement offer in December 2020 that does not come close to cover all the supposed "defects" in the original lawsuit and doesn't touch any of the $1.1 Million Sarasota County paid for the new resin flooring, talk about throwing good County money after bad County money. See below statements made by officials with Sarasota County as to why they spent $1,079,243 to replace all the MMA resin flooring in Ed Smith Stadium in December 2017. Sarasota County has an active lawsuit filed against Gilbane Building contractors filed in November 2016 to replace same flooring. During a November review of 2017 fiscal year expenditures out of county Tourist Development Council Tax (TDC) revenue, a member of the county’s Tourist Development Council noted one line item, which said, “Stadium Repair & Improvement, $1.1 Million.” “Is that something new? Did this come up before?” Mayor Terry Gans of Longboat Key asked. Hines told the council members. Delaying the installation to after Spring Training March 2018 would require the additional cost of temporary and unsightly repairs to make the surfaces that are failing safe for the baseball fans, said Charles Hines. Charles Hines was elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2012, and won his next term in 2016 without political opposition, as of Jan 2021 he is no longer on the Sarasota County commission.

Lawsuit Case # 2016CA006035NC
SARASOTA COUNTY vs GILBANE BUILDING CO
File Date 11/30/2016    CASE CLOSED 9/02/2021
For Plaintiff Sarasota County
Bora S. Kayan County Attorney Sarasota Fl.

SARASOTA's POT OF GOLD AT ED SMITH STADIUM: An independent analysis commissioned by Sarasota County government released the week of 2/23/2019 concluded that the Orioles generate approximately $97 million in annual economic impact back to taxpayers and residents. Sarasota County (and Baltimore Orioles) paid an estimated $31 million to renovate Ed Smith Stadium, which reopened for the Orioles spring training in 2011. Apparently all the MMA resin flooring at Ed Smith Stadium Sarasota Fl was unsafe for fans during the Spring games of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. After the March 2017 baseball season, Baltimore and Sarasota County officials decided to spend more than $1 Million for a full-scale re-installation of the stadium’s MMA resin flooring. Since 2012 the facility had needed annual fixes to replace broken, split and bubbling portions of the MMA resin flooring on both of the concourses. 
 

MONEY, MONEY AND MORE MONEY.....The Baltimore Orioles closed out their spring training 2018 season in Sarasota in much the same way they’ve done it for the last 10 years: with more than 100,000 fans passing through the gates. In attracting 103,294 fans to Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles sold out six of 15 games this spring in 2018, including 8,792 to see the New York Yankees on March 14, 2018. The team averaged 6,886 fans per home game, (generating over a $100 Million dollar economic impact for Sarasota County for the month of March 2018). It was the eighth time in nine years the American League-East team broke the 100,000 attendance mark. “Each spring we enjoy outstanding support from our fans, from those local to Sarasota to our many visitors from the Mid-Atlantic region,” said David Rovine, Vice President of Orioles-Sarasota. 

 

Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.wbipi.com/

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