Orlando's Dovecote says landlord is evicting them for hosting events for Black, Hispanic people

An Orlando restaurant facing eviction by the end of the month filed a lawsuit against its landlord for racial discrimination.

Dovecote, a French-inspired restaurant in downtown Orlando, filed a complaint against its landlord on July 12, requesting the city of Orlando Discrimination Review Board to ask both parties to mediate, according to the Orlando Business Journal.

Dovecote's Robert Tazioli said landlord SWVP filed a lawsuit on April 8 to evict the restaurant from the courtyard where it hosts events, claiming loud music, large crowd sizes, and constant damage to the property. Tazioli alleges that the property owner's did not have any issues with large events until the venue hosted events for people of color.

"I believe to this day our relationship got sideways because of the introduction of Black and Hispanic events," Tazioli told the Journal.

Benjamin Iseman, the lawyer representing Dovecote, said the landlord refuses to mediate with the tenant or talk to him. A spokesperson for SWVP denied the allegations in a statement shared with the business-focused publication.

The landlord said events "resulted in fighting ... a woman urinating in the middle of the elevator, an event featuring animals that were allowed to defecate and urinate all over the outdoor courtyard space and even a guest pulling a firearm," according to court records.

The eviction order against Dovecote may be executed as soon as next week.

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