Lee Roy Selmon's New Tampa 'Working Aggressively' to Reopen

After the Lee Roy Selmon’s New Tampa location , rumors have circulated that it will not reopen at all.

An article in the New Tampa Neighborhood News stated the landlord, OSI Restaurant Partners, was seeking a large rent increase and that perhaps an Outback steakhouse or Carrabba’s Italian Grill would be moving in instead.

But the Selmon's chain president clarified the situation. 

“Unless something highly unusual happens, we will be reopening (at the current New Tampa building),” Sam Tancredi said. “I’ll tell you this, if something unusual happens, we’ll reopen (anyway) in (another site in New Tampa).”

Tancredi said it is true the eatery has come to the end of its lease on the New Tampa building at 17508 Dona Michelle Drive. And the previously released statement about the Selmon's location needing repairs was true too, he said.

“We need to invest a ton of money in that restaurant,” he said. “We need to put a new roof, replace elderly HVAC. ... We need to remodel the inside.”

Tancredi said the chain just needs to be sure it will remain at the site for a long time before it makes such a significant investment in the building.

New Tampa customers should be reassured, Tancredi said, noting Selmon’s and the landlord are “working aggressively” to reopen the location.

The recent closure was certainly unfortunate for sports fans, as it coincided with the start of the NFL season.