The city of Apopka filed suit in federal court late last week against the company that erected scoreboards at the city’s baseball and softball fields at the Northwest Recreation Complex.
Apopka filed suit Friday, October 11, in the U.S. Court’s Middle District of Florida against Major Display, Inc., of Franklin, N.C., saying the company’s scoreboards didn’t function properly and that promised revenue from scoreboard sponsorships never materialized.
According to the suit, the city paid Major Display $46,500 in an initial deposit after the contract was signed on March 1, 2017, and the company installed four scoreboards at the Northwest Recreation Complex off Jason Dwelley Parkway and Ponkan Road.
The lawsuit says that since being installed, the scoreboards have malfunctioned numerous times and that the city has sent written emails notifying Major of the issues.
“Numerous times, the staff of city could not access the scoreboards because security codes had been changed by Major without notice to city,” the suit filed by city attorney Joe Byrd stated.
According to the suit, Major is “responsible for the craftsmanship, quality of construction and installation of the scoreboards.” In the suit, Byrd argues that Major Display failed to correct the malfunctions and respond in a timely manner.
As part of the agreement between the city and Major Display, the company agreed to find sponsorships for the scoreboards and the revenue from the sponsorships would be shared with the city.
In the suit, Byrd asserts that, “Major failed (to) create sales and marketing packages to raise revenue and financially support the installed scoreboards, including, but not limited to, failing to solicit and sell sponsorship and/or naming rights on the scoreboards and/or signage. To the date of filing this complaint, Major has not successfully retained a single sponsor nor raised any revenue.”
In the four-count suit, the city says it has “suffered substantial damages, including but not limited to, out-of-pocket costs, lost revenue, lost profits, and other actual damages in an amount in excess of $75,000, plus interest and costs and any other such appropriate relief.
The city is seeking a jury trial.
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