6 Years Ago, GoLocal Unveiled Mota, Skyline & Political Ties - Now City Is Threatening Action

6 Years Ago, GoLocal Unveiled Mota, Skyline & Political Ties - Now City Is Threatening Action

In 2017, a GoLocal investigative series raised questions about how the administration of Jorge Elorza pushed through an agreement never properly approved by the City's Board of Contract and Supply to lease the restaurant space at Waterplace Park to Michael Mota and his associates — which became Skyline.

One of Mota's associates in launching Skyline was David Pontarelli — he had been fired by the city as a no-show worker just four years earlier.

Then, the City of Providence repeatedly forgave missed rent payments and cut the rent.

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All the while, Mota and his associates were pouring tens of thousands of dollars into the political campaigns of Elorza, newly elected mayor Brett Smiley, then City Councilor David Salvatore, and others. Elorza received more than $10,000. Smiley received $2,000 just days before he was sworn into office.

Now, after years of missed payments, Providence City officials are demanding Mota’s Skyline prove they are in compliance with the lease.

 

Million Contract, Fired City Employee

In 2017, Skyline won a ten-year contract and was slated to pay $91,250 the first year, and there is a provision for a second ten-year contract. Under the lease, which was dated May 23, 2016, Skyline would pay the City of Providence more than $1 million during the first ten years. 

Repeatedly, the Elorza administration refused to answer questions about Mota's outstanding payments.

When the Elorza administration first awarded the lease for the Skyline at Waterplace to Mota, Pontarelli, and crew, GoLocal unveiled the checkered background of Pontarelli.

In 2012, Pontarelli was fired by the City of Providence for being a “no-show” worker and taking city property for use at a nightclub that he simultaneously managed, while working for the city.

As GoLocal reported, Elorza’s administration awarded a multimillion-dollar lease to a group of companies - which include Pontarelli - giving him a management interest in Providence’s iconic Waterplace Park.  

The contract was issued by the Parks Department and approved by the Board of Contract and Supply, which Elorza chaired at the time.

A Target 12 investigation in 2012 had tracked Pontarelli for a total of 120 hours and found that on Providence taxpayer time, he repeatedly went to have his eyebrows threaded, did work for his other job, and went shopping.  

Regarding Pontarelli, Tim White of WPRI said he “soaks up the sun and dines on the Hill.”

Pontarelli said in a press release regarding his latest venture, “Skyline at Waterplace will breathe new life into Providence…I can see clearly how Skyline at Waterplace will push Providence to the next level.”

At the time of the WPRI investigation, Pontarelli’s behavior was roundly criticized.

“It is outrageous and maddening,” said then-Mayor Angel Taveras after being shown the video of Pontarelli. “It's a horrible example. I won’t stand for it.” 

Pontarelli was first suspended and later fired by the Taveras administration, according to press reports.

Pontarelli later left the group operating Skyline.

 

Missed Payments and Forgiveness By Elorza

It did not take long; by December of 2017,  Skyline at Waterplace fell months behind in rent payments, and Elorza had already lowered lease payments by $70,000 — all nearly simultaneous to the owners of the club funneling thousands in campaign donations to Elorza.

In a slick announcement in May 2016, Elorza unveiled the club opening at a press conference flanked by Mike Mota, the fired city employee Pontarelli; construction company owner and Mota’s father-in-law Joseph Ricci, and Chuck Delpidio. Delpidio is tied to a controversial Boston nightclub group.

After the press conference and during the buildout of the club, Skyline fell behind in lease payments to the City of Providence in 2016.  Mota and his associates were constantly scrambling to make payments, according to former Mota associates.

By June 2017 and thousands behind in payments, the Skyline crew were back re-negotiating with the city of Providence and asking for the forgiveness of $35,000 of past due payments.

The monthly lease payment of $7,604 was slashed to just $2,404 for the months of August 2017 to February 2018 -- a windfall to Mota and Pontarelli of another $35,000. But even with the new discounted rent -- Skyline fell three months behind.

Mota and Pontarelli would pay less than one-third of their first year's payments. According to the lease signed with the city of Providence, the lease could be terminated 15 days after missing a payment.

At the same time of the negotiations, Mota, Pontarelli, Ricci, Louis Delpidio (brother of Chuck) and Mota’s wife (Ricci’s daughter) donated $4,100 to Elorza in a 48-hour period according to campaign finance documents.

At the next available Parks Commission meeting, the changes to the lease were approved and Mota and his team received the $35,000 lease abatement and the $35,000 decrease in rent payments going forward. The amendment to the lease was signed by the chairman of the City’s Park Commission -- Elorza.

Then, just five months after the abatement, Skyline missed payments to the City for October, November, and December for that year.

 

Elorza Awards $15,000 New Year's Party to Mota and Skyline

Despite the $70,000 in concessions and three months the Skyline being three months in the rears on rent payments, the Elorza Administration gave Mota a $15,000 contract to host a New Year’s party.

The party was marketed by Skyline as “Providence’s first-ever outdoor ball drop, a laser-light show and a spectacular fireworks display.” GoLocal reported that there was no permit issued for fireworks and that the “ball drop” would be a light shined on an adjacent building.

 

Now, City Makes Threats

In a letter sent to Skyline by Senior Assistant City Solicitor Jillian Barker to Skyline dated April 3 of this year, Barker outlines what the city is requiring of the business.

Barker wrote that pursuant to Section 9.01, Maintenance, Skyline “shall, at all times during the term of this Lease, and at its own cost and expense, keep and maintain or cause to be kept and maintained in repair and good condition the building and shall use reasonable precautions to prevent waste, damage, or injury thereto.”

"There have been numerous complaints about the condition of the premises at Skyline, including but not limited to trash, waste, furniture and kitchen equipment being left outside (in the public right of way), discarded balloon materials, etc. The City has made multiple requests that Skyline maintain the area and keep the premises in a clean condition. Skyline has failed to do so, and this continues to be an ongoing problem and concern," wrote Barker. "Pursuant to Section 14.03, Environmental Remediation, Skyline is in breach of this section of the lease."

Barker then demands that Skyline provide documentation of repairs made by Skyline -- or else Skyline would have to pay back rent for violating their agreement with the city.

"Lessee is obligated to provide Lessor with documentation of all improvements, maintenance, repairs, etc. made between December 1, 2019 through the end of the lease period. Lessee’s failure to provide documentation referred to in the preceding sentence will result in the termination [of] any further abatement in accordance with this Third Lease Amendment, and rent payments shall commence in accordance with the Lease as of December 1, 2019," wrote Barker.

"To date your client has not provided the City with any of the required documentation. As such, please let this letter serve as a demand for documentation of any improvements, maintenance, repairs, etc. made between December 1, 2019 through today’s date. If your client fails to provide said documentation within thirty-one (31) days of today’s date, the City will seek payment of rent from December 1, 2019, through August 1, 2023," Barker wrote.