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Grubb & Ellis lands airport marketing account
By MOLLY MOORHEAD ZEPHYRHILLS -- The commercial real estate firm Grubb & Ellis will market Zephyrhills Municipal Airport as it tries to expand and climb out of debt. The Zephyrhills Airport Authority on Monday approved hiring Grubb & Ellis of Tampa, which submitted a proposal for the job of luring long-term tenants to the airport. In its proposal, the firm said it will do an analysis of the area to contact target companies. It also will do direct marketing, such as mailings and telemarketing to local aviation groups. Tom Gola, formerly with the Pasco Economic Development Council, will lead the campaign to market Zephyrhills' airport. "When you look at the growth of New Tampa, I think (Zephyrhills' airport) is going to be a very viable industrial alternative," Gola said. Grubb & Ellis, which also does the marketing for Pasco Beverage in Dade City, will collect 10 percent of the gross value of the leases it brings to the airport. It won't charge a flat fee for its marketing services. In its proposal, the company asked for 8 percent. But airport manager Jim Werme said city ordinance dictates a 10 percent fee. With the airport carrying nearly $400,000 in debt, Werme is thrilled with the one-year hiring. "We could spend thousands with our staff to market the airport, but there's no way we could reach people the way this company will," he said. Another firm, Savitar Realty Advisors, also submitted a proposal. Werme said the arrangement with Grubb & Ellis does not prevent other firms from bringing in new tenants. "They don't have an exclusive on the airport," he said. Grubb & Ellis would get a cut of leases brought in by other firms, he said. But airport authority members decided Grubb & Ellis should not collect its fee on leases renewed by current tenants.
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