Local property developer and “Gilroy Shark Tank” mastermind James Suner has confirmed that the much anticipated competition will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 8.
The event, which aims to get a new business owner into Gilroy’s downtown, will take place upstairs at the Old City Hall Restaurant, 7400 Monterey St. if the response is small; if the response is large, the event will take place in the building that used to house the Strand Theater, Suner said.
Members of the public are encouraged to come and watch the “very entertaining” live competition, Suner said.
The winner will receive a $50,000 grant from the Gilroy Downtown Business Association. The names of the judges have yet to be revealed.
The competition is modeled on the hugely popular ABC program “Shark Tank” and will see aspiring business owners pitch their commercial visions to a trio of experienced local business people.
According to the GDBA website, there are a total of 24 buildings that have one or more vacant spaces in them. Suner has reached out to the majority of the owners and landlords of those buildings in hopes of hooking them with the “Shark Tank Gilroy” idea and to pre-negotiate reduced or graduated leases. Suner admits that these types of negotiations are complicated, but says that he is “yet to hear a negative response.”
Get ready for Gilroy’s ‘Shark Tank’
