By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-933295.mp3
Dallas, TX – The DFW Airport Board has cancelled Gilbert Aranza's concession contracts in a dispute over rent payments. KERA's BJ Austin says Aranza was recently at the center of a controversy over concessions at Love Field.
DFW Airport officials say concessionaire Gilbert Aranza owes them about 300 thousand dollars in rent. Airport auditors say Aranza was improperly deducting mixed beverage taxes from the gross receipts. Gross receipts are used to determine monthly rent.
Aranza disagrees with DFW Airport officials. In a statement, he says the airport's action to cancel his leases would "obliterate an investment of millions of dollars and over a decade of commitment to D/FW Airport." He immediately went to court to stop the airport from shutting down his businesses in 30 days.
Aranza was a key figure in the contentious Dallas City Hall debate over no-bid, long-term concession contract extensions at Love Field. A DFW Airport spokesman says Aranza's restaurants and bars will stay open until the legal action runs its course.