Sanborn responds to county's legal action

After Sarasota County filed a suit against Sanborn Studios yesterday, the company has issued a response.

“This lawsuit is just a symptom of a larger disease in the way the county is handling issues like these,” said Scott Sobel, spokesperson for the company.

Sanborn defended its actions in the press release, noting it had met with the county last year. At that meeting, the county affirmed Sanborn had created 200 jobs that met all the stipulations in the contract, the release said.

“The county continues false allegations that there were never meetings and that the company is not in compliance with its contractual obligations,” the release said.

The release also said the county is wasting taxpayer dollars on a “frivolous” lawsuit.

The county filed a lawsuit against Sanborn Studios July 28 for breaching its contract to provide 117 full-time positions in exchange for an incentive from the county.

The county paid the company a total of $650,000 in 2010 for Sanborn to establish a studio in Lakewood Ranch to help promote economic development.

Sanborn closed its studio in December 2011. The county is suing the company for failing to make the agreed-upon positions and not reimbursing the county.