Top Story — June: Lakewood Ranch developer sues Major League Football

Frank Murtha, the senior executive vice president for Major League Football, Inc., said Friday his company "is not going anywhere" although Schroeder-Manatee Ranch filed a suit in Manatee County Circuit Court to evict MLFB from its suite at 6230 University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch.

"The office is open," Murtha said. "Matters are more positive than portrayed."

On Wednesday, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch filed documents in Manatee County Circuit Court to evict and seek damages from Major League Football, which hasn't paid rent since March according to the suit, which recorded the rent per month at $11,918.

Murtha alluded to getting the back rent paid through MLFB's $20 million equity, $100 million line of credit funding agreement with Asian Global Capital Ltd., announced in February. Murtha said in April that deal was firm and that MLFB had plenty of operating capital.

However, also early in April, Murtha said the MLFB was planning to host a training camp, bringing 1,000 players to the Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch in May. Murtha also said the league would announce its host cities late in April or early May. Neither ever happened.

Major League Football had cancelled its inaugural 2016 season in March after losing a $20 million financial commitment from Clairmont Private Investment Group LLC on Feb. 8.