End Barring a last minute miracle, or more successful negotiations, owners of the longest operating lease at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor, The Shore Casino, face eviction proceedings in Superior Court August 1, closing a business that has been the scene of weddings, funeral repasts, proms , PBA events and community involvement for more than half a century.
Yacht Harbor attorney William McGuinn reported at this week’s meeting of the Harbor Commission that the Commission has filed for eviction because of the lessee’s failure to pay rent for the past five months, totaling $110,309.
McGuinn said the Casino tenant could still pay the full amount to cancel the August 1 court appearance prior to that date; otherwise, or if representatives of the tenant do not appear for the court proceeding, the Yacht Harbor would take possession of the facility.
Following the August 1 court appearance, the Yacht Harbor has to wait four days before it can take possession and have the tenant removed by sheriff’s officers. McGuinn said. That means the Shore Casino, a piece of history and a landmark in Atlantic Highlands, could be gone to history by August 4.
Casino owner Kathleen Strebb Sweeney has faced a series of catastrophic events and actions in the past years. Like all restaurants and catering halls in New Jersey, the Casino was banned from operating at its routine capacity when the Governor shut down businesses during the Covid epidemic.
Casino owner Bernard Sweeney, Strebb-Sweeny’s husband who built the Casino and was the main operator with his wife died February 12, 2022 ; the following year, Jay Strebb, Strebb-Sweeny’s son, Jay, who took up general management of the operation when Sweeney died, died 14 months later at his home on Ocean Boulevard, April 22, 2023. Since then, the octogenarian Strebb Sweeney has been operating the facility on her own.
Both John Marinan, who is representing Streb-Sweeney, the principal named on the Shore Casino lease, and McGuinn, the attorney for the Harbor Commission, as well as Harbor Commission Chairman Tom Wall declined to respond for a request for comment since the matter is currently under litigation. Mayor Lori Hohenleitner also declined to comment on the advice of the borough attorney.
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A very sad day for Atlantic Highlands. Mr. Sweeney was beyond a pillar of the community doing what he did best at the Shore Casino. My family personally had Weddings, Retirement parties and supported many functions there over the years. Breaks my heart to see this unhappy ending. Capt. Ron Santee
This is terrible news what is the Harbor Commission going to do with it? Run it themselves or sell it and they keep the profit ? The owner has been thru so much and now they want to take it from her. If the shut down during the pandemic and the reduced occupancy wasn’t forced on her she wouldn’t be in this situation The state should be paying her lease payments since they are responsible for putting this historical business in default
I’m interested.