After a protracted legal tussle that has seen the City of San Diego and SeaWorld entwined in disputes over unpaid rent accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic, the two parties have finally settled. According to CBS8, SeaWorld will pay the city $8.5 million, resolving the lawsuit over the theme park's financial obligations totaling over $12 million in rent, late fees, and interest.
The settlement also includes items aimed at benefiting the local community. SeaWorld has agreed to provide complimentary season passes to San Diego teachers annually for five years and one free admission each year for active duty military and veterans across a five-year span. In addition, as part of the agreement, 1,000 SeaWorld admission tickets will be distributed to local school districts by the city. Former San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott described the settlement as "a good result for San Diego taxpayers," stating via CBS8, "We'll recover overdue taxes and provide benefits to service members and local schools."
While Elliott outlined the terms of the agreement, FOX 5/KUSI reported that a spokesperson confirmed additional details about the settlement but did not elaborate further. Meanwhile, the current City Attorney Heather Ferbert's office and SeaWorld have yet to provide official statements post-settlement. --->READ MORE HERE
North Carolina’s Supreme Court issued mixed rulings Friday for businesses seeking financial help from the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring one insurer’s policy must cover losses some restaurants and bars incurred but that another insurer’s policy for a nationwide clothing store chain doesn’t due to an exception.
The unanimous decisions by the seven-member court in the pair of cases addressed the requirements of “all-risk” commercial property insurance policies issued by Cincinnati and Zurich American insurance companies to the businesses.
The companies who paid premiums saw reduced business and income, furloughed or laid off employees and even closed from the coronavirus and resulting 2020 state and local government orders limiting commerce and public movement. North Carolina restaurants, for example, were forced for some time to limit sales to takeout or drive-in orders.
In one case, the 16 eating and drinking establishments who sued Cincinnati Insurance Co., Cincinnati Casualty Co. and others held largely similar policies that protected their building and personal property as well as any business income from “direct physical loss” to property not excluded by their policies.
Worried that coverage would be denied for claimed losses, the restaurants and bars sued and sought a court to rule that “direct physical loss” also applied to government-mandated orders. A trial judge sided with them, but a panel of the intermediate-level Court of Appeals disagreed, saying such claims did not have to be accepted because there was no actual physical harm to the property — only a loss of business. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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