Channelside challengers eye more downtown property
By Richard Mullins
Tampa Tribune
Published: Jun 17, 2014

Channelside Bay Plaza isn't the only waterfront property downtown that the Liberty Group and Convergent Capital have their eye on.

Details were few, but Convergent Chief Executive Santosh Govindaraju was on the witness stand in the Channelside bankruptcy case Thursday. While giving the bona fides of his firm, he gave a few hints.

"In the last five months, we've bought five hotels, and also have a $28 million condo project in Miami,” he said during testimony. "We have another investment under contract,” he told the court, adding that he was not free to give details. "But this is another waterfront investment in downtown Tampa.”

Reached via email, the president of Liberty Group, Punit Shah, said he was also not free to give details.

The pair has made waves in development circles recently for several reasons. Their pursuit of Channelside has become a legal battle with Port Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik. They've also just this week opened a sleek new Aloft hotel at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Boulevard.

rmullins@tampatrib.com (813) 259-7919
Twitter: @DailyDeadline