The case behind the Jackson Rooming House purchase by "Bubba the Love Sponge"

"Bubba the Love Sponge" Clem, the iconic radio shock jock, seems to have given up trying to acquire the famed Jackson Rooming House, in Tampa, FL.

The problem was that, according to the Tampa Bay Times, Bubba initially got $ 100,000 to buy the guest house, and everything seemed to be on track, until the city council together with its lawyers, executed a set of demands that pushed back the purchase process.

The lawsuits initially didn't prevent him from making the purchase of the house, but they proposed a purchase plan in 6 months, along with the payment of some pending fines of the property and other associated expenses. According to Bubba, it was all about a personal vendetta of the mayor, Mr. Bob Buckhorn.

The Jackson Rooming House has an advanced state of deterioration, after more than 100 years of interesting history about racial segregation, and also the accommodation of very important people from the first half of the 20th century.

The team of city experts assessed the repairs at 1.5 million dollars, to which Bubba responded that "the price is inflated". The truth is that Bubba still managed to gather a group of volunteers who wanted to help the repairs.

Even with a good number of people willing to help and a some money raised, Bubba said it was literally impossible to both save the property, and fight against the city council, since the 6-month deadline was met, in the middle of a lots of paperwork, and requirements, so Jackson House couldn't be saved. Apparently, the property will be demolished for new real estate project plans.

Source: The Tampa Bay Time
Image: Wikimedia Commons