Cheetah Lounge drops suit against Sarasota County

After nearly a year of litigation, the owners of Cheetah Lounge on North Washington Boulevard have dropped a $5.1 million lawsuit against Sarasota County.

According to a Feb. 2 memo from County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh, the adult nightclub voluntarily dismissed its claim for relief under the Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Act Jan. 22. 

Cheetah attorney S. William Moore had originally claimed municipal codes enacted in 2008 — and applied to the club in 2013 — have “worked to inordinately burden…the private property rights of the property owner.” Night club owners claimed an appraiser placed a $5 million value on the property.

“Although Cheetah Lounge could re-file it’s lawsuit, we believe any claims under the Harris Act would be time barred through the expiration of the claims period and the statute of limitations,” DeMarsh wrote in the memo.