Retail bidder takes TIA to court

A $1.3 billion concessions deal Tampa International Airport operators struck with 11 different business groups is headed to court.

WDFG North America, an affiliate of Italy-based World Duty Free Group, claims in its lawsuit that the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority used erroneous financial numbers when it rejected its bid.

The international travel retailer originally appealed the decision after it was announced June 5. But it was unsuccessful with board members who say that accepting any new financial information would mean re-opening the entire bidding process. Although WDFG did win its bid to open duty-free shops in the revamped airside, the company wanted to go further, with stores like Tampa Bay Golf and the clothing store Peace Love World. It filed the lawsuit July 6.

WDFG admits in the suit that it filed an incorrect financial document, but if the board had accepted a revised form, it would have moved the company to the top of the rankings. That likely would have resulted in WDFG winning the chance to open those stores in the 10-year deal. Instead, that chance went to Paradies-TPA, which plans to open a CNBC-branded newsstand, a PGA-branded golf store and a Spanx shop.

World Duty Free operates more than 550 stores in at least 100 airports across 20 countries, according to its website. It's in all of North America and large parts of South America, as well as Europe and Asia.

Tampa International is expanding its retail and restaurant portfolio from 87,000 square feet to 127,000 square feet. The airport says it anticipates revenues from those outlets to grow from nearly $87 million in 2013 to $130 million a year.