LOOP Advertisement and Private Gain

The new marketing campaign, which is referred to as the NSB Waterfront LOOP and is paid for with tax money, is now being used for private gains. The former President of the Chamber of Commerce in Southeast Volusia, Robert Lott, has used it for his own personal gain, after having to deal with federal bankruptcy court just a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the month. There is a LOOP advertisement featured on the bottom of the menus at the Dolphinview Restaurant, one of the many restaurants in the area. One of the creditors in which Lott owes money to, Sylvia Roy McCormick, went to the Headline Surfer, letting them know about the menus that feature the advertisements directly on them.

Sylvia Roy McCormick was a widow but after getting re-married, she had not been to the Dolphin View Restaurant and neither had anyone else that she knew. McCormick was once an investor for the Observer, which is no longer operating, and ended up losing $50,000 from a deal that was made through Lott. McCormick also said that even though the bankruptcy proceedings were ongoing for Lott and his wife, he still contacted her and tried to pressure her into buying advertisements for one of his newest business ventures.

McCormick says she was absolutely outraged and could not believe the nerve of Lott, especially after he would be going through with bankruptcy and knowing that she would never get her hands back on that $50,000 that she lost because of him. She also found it disturbing that the city would even bother doing business with Lott and the new company he had set up, which is referred to as Eye to Eye, especially because he has such ongoing legal problems taking place. After contacting the Headline Surfer, they contacted the Manager of New Smyrna Beach City, Pam Brangaccio, who claimed to know nothing about the advertisements on the menus and also told Headline Surfer to make request for the public records.

A little while later, Pam Brangaccio eventually sent out an e-mail message, in which she stated that the City of NSB and CRA are in no way, shape or form related business-wise with the Waterfront Loop and a restaurant menu featuring advertisements that have been published by Lott himself. Lott did not respond to the e-mail message. In the meantime, the Headline Surfer has messaged the Mayor, Adam Barringer, and is questioning whether or not there could be some legal consequences for using advertisements within a private business as a way of generating more revenue. Barringer has not responded to the message sent by the Headline Surfer, questioning the liability of the city when it comes to things like this, just yet.