Unconditional Surrender deal is near

Few issues have polarized the community as must as the debate over Unconditional Surrender.

The prospect of the sailor statue remaining on the bayfront for at least 10 years has many seniors and veterans and their supporters cheering — and many in the art community scowling.

But there appears to be some harmony now associated with the sculpture.

An attorney for the Sculpture Foundation, which owns Unconditional Surrender, has sent its terms for an agreement to the city attorney’s office.

The city attorney is reviewing the document to see if it satisfies the city’s requirements, which included licensing issues, a maintenance schedule and making the statue resistant to hurricane winds.

One sticking point, though — the World War II veteran who plans to purchase the sculpture for $500,000 and donate it to the city, Jack Curran, has not yet signed off on the Sculpture Foundation’s agreement proposal.

Curran has said he wants to give Unconditional Surrender to the city on the condition it stays on the bayfront for 10 years. After that the city is free to do with it what it wants.

But the Sculpture Foundation’s Sarasota-based attorney, Dan Bailey, said he wouldn’t be surprised if all sides came to an agreement before the end of the week.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].