Another restaurant at the Jacksonville Landing has closed.
Cinco de Mayo is no longer in business. It's locked, all outdoor tables have been removed and a sign with leasing information is in the window.
When WJCT News inquired about the closure, Landing COO Michael McNaugton responded with a brief emailed statement: "The Jacksonville Landing in conjunction with the city and with their mutual understanding has been in the process of evaluating each tenancy and working to put the property in position for the future."
The Mexican restaurant was located next to Chicago Pizza, which was the scene of the August 26, 2018, shooting that left three dead including the gunman, who took his own life. Ten others were shot and survived.
Chicago Pizza reopened in October. Earlier this month owner Clifton Comastro said he was still working toward reopening the Good Luck have Fun game bar inside Chicago Pizza where the shooting occurred.
The closing of Cinco de Mayo comes on the heels of other closures at the Landing. Benny’s Steak and Seafood closed earlier this month, and the entire second floor food court was closed last year. Other vacancies abound throughout the two-story festival marketplace.
JLI, which is part of Sleiman Enterprises Inc., said in an earlier email to WJCT News that the food court was closed in October due to “a lack of support from area workers and residents.”
JLI has been in a legal battle with the City of Jacksonville, each accusing the other of breaching their operating agreement.
If the city were to take control of the Landing, Mayor Lenny Curry’s office told our Jacksonville Daily Record news partner in June it would look at bulldozing the festival marketplace to make way for an urban park.
JLI has previously countered that the Landing has invested more than $1.5 million into redevelopment efforts and maintains the company has been ready to redevelop the Landing since 2003.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
