City takes over catering, event space May 2

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The historic Coral Gables Country Club is open for business as usual. For now, anyway.

While the contents may have been “seized” Wednesday by a strange middle-of-the-night court order in the midst of a dispute between the city and the operators, there are fundraisers and birthday parties and galas planned through the end of the month. There was a wedding there Saturday with 335 guests.

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The long fight over the operation of the Coral Gables Country Club took a Draconian turn Wednesday when police arrived to evict the company that has leased the historic public property for more than a decade — and which has been at odds with the city over the terms (read: payments) for years.

Employees and representatives of the operator, Coral Grand, had to vacate the premises, leaving all their furnishings, equipment, files and food behind, after a judge granted the city a temporary injunction appointing a receiver, or a third party to ensure the interest of the club members when there is a financial dispute. This despite the fact the lease — which was extended until the city can take over operations itself — ends on April 30 and the company has a month to move after that, according to the contract.

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