Did A “Secret Committee” Shut Out A Riverwalk Vendor?
Ray Pride| Newcity (October 20, 2025)
Did A “Secret Committee” Shut Out A Riverwalk Vendor?
“The city forfeited significant potential revenue by ending a proven partnership,” submits Beat Kitchen and Subterranean owner Robert Gomez at the Tribune. “Had my venue, Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk, continued operating in 2024 and had its lease renewed beginning in 2025, total revenue to the city over seven years would have exceeded $4.8 million. Instead, the space remained closed through 2024 and much of 2025, with no explanation for the loss… Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk had a three-season track record of performance. Despite operating with less square footage than most neighboring vendors, our sales consistently ranked among the highest.” Gomez describes recent revelations of how selections have been made, and says, “The scoring process reveals how arbitrary and biased the committee is.”
