PROVIDENCE – Crying brides, a tarnished reputation and a faltering business are what Michael Mota says the city cost him with its move to evict his Skyline at Waterplace events company from Waterplace Park.
In early November, after a long saga in District Court, a judge said the City of Providence could evict the company of which Mota is CEO.
The city had been trying to hold Mota's feet to the fire for months, filing a complaint in March that alleged Skyline breached "several sections" of its lease by failing to pay rent, staying open too late, leaving trash outside, breaking fire codes and allowing its liability insurance to lapse. Skyline has denied the city's claims.
"Obviously the eviction process that the city has acted on has caused great harm to our company and our brand," Mota told The Providence Journal this month. "However, we still operate as if it's not happening."
But his customers aren't.
"A lot of people have canceled because of the unknown," Mota said. "And the true victims here are our clients who have saved up all their lives to have their weddings at Skyline, and this nonsense just continues."
Mota recounted hearing brides crying on the phone because their wedding plans are now uncertain.
Mota claims the city wants to give his space to WaterFire. City says no.
Mota – whose attorney appealed the eviction – now wants to go to trial and depose city staff. In the meantime, he has made several damning allegations against the city, which the city has rebutted. They include alleging that Mayor Brett Smiley's administration wants to give Skyline's space to WaterFire, the widely popular art installation on the Providence River, and Russell Morin Catering and Events, its catering partner.
"This is not accurate," said Smiley's spokesman, Josh Estrella. "Given the ongoing legal proceedings, individuals have reached out to inquire about the future of the property and share their ideas for the space. At this time, there are no immediate plans for that space."
Estrella neither confirmed nor denied that WaterFire or Russell Morin Catering asked the city about the space.
"Various entities have reached out with interest in this space; however, we are not moving forward with any of them until the matter has been resolved," Estrella said.
Barnaby Evans, WaterFire's creator, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Does Skyline need to leave? Not just yet.
Since Mota's attorney, Michael J. Lepizzera, Jr., appealed the eviction last week, Skyline has been allowed to operate as usual for now.