I did some recon. Here’s what I know. The restaurant concept was “conceived” together by Spurrier and Celebration Pointe developer Sven Dyrkolbotn, a 6-foot-8 member of Lon Kruger’s 1994 Final Four team. Dyrkolbotn has deep ties within the UF athletic community as well as the UF Real Estate Advisory Board, which includes heavy hitters James Izzo and Ralph Conti, the latter of whom helped attract Bass Pro Shops to Celebration Pointe.
According to the Alachua County Tax Collector’s website, Spurrier’s is owned by SDPS Real Estate Investments LLC under a Gainesville address. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s website lists four separate LLC entities under the SDPS Real Estate name, each identified by a separate Roman numeral. They all list SHD-Celebration Pointe LLC as manager at the same southwest Gainesville address, presumably that of Dyrkolbotn, whose development firm is named Vikings Co.
BTW, check out the unpaid tax bill.
In a
Restaurant Business piece published Jan. 7, 2020, Spurrier said, “We’re very open to future locations in relevant, key markets.” Whether that kind of expansion, which sounds very like the Shula’s Steakhouse model, would involve Dyrkolbotn is uncertain, but given his background and real estate ties throughout the southeast it would make sense. He’s without a doubt intrinsically involved in the Gainesville restaurant, which is 15,000 square feet and will employ a staff of 300. That’s large scale for a first-time affair.
Knowing that, you can kind of smell a reason for Spurrier to sell the Crescent Beach home.