There’s another twist in the ongoing saga of the Hamilton waterfront venue that housed the Sarcoa restaurant.
Special events that had been booked for the Discovery Drive centre have been put into doubt after an agreement could not be reached by the Hamilton Waterfront Trust and event planning company JEM Hospitality, a sub-tenant of the space.
The trust, which oversees the venue, sent out a notice Thursday night saying JEM had declined a deal to continue using the premises.
“Although it was under no obligation to do so, in an effort to avoid the disruption associated with the cancellation of
events during this period, the trust had offered the use of the premises to JEM for a fee that was less than its costs,” the trust said in a release.
The agency had been in discussion with JEM to accommodate existing bookings after Sarcoa’s lease was teminated earlier this month, reportedly over breaches of contract including unpaid rent.
The Waterfront Trust wanted a temporary contract the two parties had established following the closure extended until September, but the company had bookings into next year at Sarcoa and wanted a longer term.
JEM Hospitality partner Mike Attard says his company has become collateral damage in the ongoing dispute between the waterfront trust and the owners of Sarcoa.
As far as those with events booked with JEM at the waterfront, Attard says he expects to announce soon a partnership with Burlington Atrium.