PUNTA GORDA — The Rosati’s Chicago Pizza franchise isn’t coming to the Punta Gorda Airport.
Now, the Charlotte County Airport Authority is looking for a full-service restaurant and bar to replace it.
Since the beginning of the year, the airport’s CEO James Parish gave Airport Authority members updates of ongoing negotiations with a Rosati’s franchise owner and the airport, with a plan to open in 2025.
By June, Parish reported he was suspicious that talks weren’t progressing.
“I had some trepidation about the way things were going,” Parish told the board recently, adding there wasn’t any cooperation so it was time to terminate the contract.
Parish said the airport was contacted by Rosati’s management, saying it had 175 locations throughout the country and didn’t have any issues with them. The corporation’s leaders apologized to the airport for issues with the franchise owner, saying that’s not how Rosati’s operates.
“They (other Rosati’s franchise owners) love Southwest Florida,” Parish said.