Locally based Darden Restaurants Inc., which calls itself the world's largest seafood chain, closed the doors on the 8,540-sf, 253-seat location because of dwindling foot traffic, according to company officials. Olive Garden has been Downtown for 12 years.
Officials at the publicly traded Darden firm couldn't be reached at GlobeSt.com's publication deadline. But area leasing brokers tell GlobeSt.com Darden could reconsider moving back Downtown after a planned $1.5 million renovation at Church Street Market is completed in September and proves it can draw the crowds once again.
Heavily-promoted Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Sea World have siphoned off 90% of the Downtown tourist trade in the past five years, local travel agents tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity.
Darden Restaurants Inc., which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, has 1,139 restaurants, including 464 Olive Garden locations.
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