General

$14.5M jury verdict in Orlando mixed-use development dispute

When a business dispute arises there are multiple ways in which it may be resolved. Sometimes the parties to the dispute can settle the matter outside of the courtroom through negotiation, arbitration or mediation. Other times however, a case will be decided at trial. This is how one Orlando based dispute involving multiple parties was recently resolved.

The case was related to the Orlando Gateway mixed-use development, upon which work began in 2009. Once complete, the 120-acre development will include the following:

• 525 hotel units
• Six to eight restaurants
• 140,000 square feet of retail space
• 200,000 square feet of corporate office space
• 1,200 luxury apartment units.

The plaintiffs in the case alleged multiple tort and contract claims in the course of the $500 million mixed-use development. There were four defendants named in the case. The decision reached by the jury was in favor of the plaintiffs. The two businesses were awarded a total of $14.5 million.

The jury verdict was the culmination of a two week jury trial and multiple years of litigation. While sometimes this is the best, or only course of action, other times alternative dispute resolution methods are preferred. These methods often reduce the duration as well as costs associated with the dispute.

Most business disputes, particularly those involving commercial real estate developments, involve a large amount of money. For this reason, regardless of the approach used to resolve the business dispute, working with a lawyer who handles these types of cases is a must. Doing so is the best way for a business to protect its interests.

Source: Orlando Business Journal, “Orlando Gateway developer dispute ends with $14.5 million verdict,” Matthew Richardson, July 23, 2014

Mon Aug 27, 1:39pm