After 50 Cent party, St. Petersburg revokes aviation company’s lease

ST. PETERSBURG — Following a Super Bowl bash last week in an airplane hangar at Albert Whitted Airport that featured rapper 50 Cent and few COVID-19 safety protocols, city officials terminated the lease of the aircraft maintenance company.

Sky Addict Aviation now has six months to pack up and leave.

The maintenance company’s hangar was the site of the party, photos of which were published by tabloid website TMZ showing a large, mostly-maskless crowd.

The photos drew the ire of St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose message has consistently encouraged common sense and responsible behavior like wearing masks and social distancing. In a Saturday tweet, he said the event was “not safe or smart. It’s stupid.” He said his office would be investigating the event and “it may end up costing someone a lot more than 50 cent.”

It ended up costing Sky Addict its lease of a 3,000 square foot hangar and office space, first reported Tuesday by St. Pete Catalyst. The five-year term had just been renewed in December.

In the termination letter, Alfred Wendler, the city’s director of real estate and property management, cited a provision in the lease that allows for termination without cause. The letter gives 180 days notice.

Kriseman’s spokesman Ben Kirby said the mayor decided to terminate the lease because hosting a concert is outside the scope of what the hangar space is supposed to be used for. Sky Addict also failed to file a COVID-19 safety plan, required by the city for events larger than 250 people. That rule went into effect on Feb. 1.

Kirby said city officials don’t know how many people attended.

Sky Addict’s registered agent and manager Abraham Tray declined to comment.

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