By Ward Peck

Editor

    Organizers for the Cape Elizabeth High School
Junior/ Senior Prom were sent scrambling after learning the Pavilion
Banquet Hall in Portland is closed. What will become of the $2,500
deposit the children raised to reserve the space is unclear.

    “We are not counting on getting the deposit back,”
said Carrie Apanovich, a social studies teacher at CEHS and co-advisor
to the Class of 2008. Apanovich said the committee is now looking to
other venues for the May 12 prom.

    CEHS is not the only school that has found their
spring plans disrupted by the closure. Thornton Academy placed a $2,000
deposit for their May 11 prom and Sanford High School had scheduled a
“Project Graduation” event at the Pavilion scheduled to take place at
the Middle Street location on June 8. SHS reserved the space with a
$1,500 deposit.

    T.A. Spokesperson and Financial Director Cathy
Coffman and Apanovich both said their schools were contacted by
attorney Peter Edmands of the Biddeford law firm Woodman Edmands
Danylik and Austin via fax and asked for copies of the deposit invoices.

    Lisa Oldakowski, listed as the Pavilion’s general
manager, has been described as the Pavilion’s owner, but the degree of
her ownership is presently unclear.

    John Turcotte, an attorney representing Oldakowski
described Oldakowski as “one of the owners,” through a limited
liability corporation by the name of “First Class Enterprises LLC.”
According to papers filed with the Maine Secretary of State’s office,
First Class Enterprises also goes by the name “The Pavilion.” 

    Turcotte would not comment on any specifics of the
Pavilion closure and referred to Edmands, the attorney representing the
other owner, which Turcotte described as a “trust.” Turcotte declined
to share the ownership structure of First Class Enterprises, referring
the question to Edmands, who is listed as the corporation’s agent.

    Turcotte said he is not aware of any legal issues
between the owners of First Class Enterprises and said Oldakowski still
maintained her interest in the corporation.

    In an email to her contacts at the affected schools,
Oldakowski wrote, “I just wanted to let everyone know that the decision
to close The Pavilion had nothing to do with me. My input was never
asked for or given to the matter. Although there were other issues
going on between myself and other business partners, it was never my
intent or suggestion that the business be closed down; nor did I have
any knowledge at any point that it was being considered. Quite frankly,
I heard about it the same way you did — through other people.”

    In another email she called the situation
“devastating” and declined to comment further. Oldakowski referred
inquiries to Turcotte who refused to provide any additional information
on the matter other then directing questions back to Edmands.

    “My question is: Is the money being held up for the
kids who’ve done car washes while these people fight out a bad business
deal?” Coffman asked.

    Apanovich said the Class of 2008 is currently in
discussions with several alternative venues, including the Portland
Club. She said one issue with holding the prom at the Portland Club is
cost.

    She said it would cost roughly $3,000 more to hold
it there. Considering the committee may not get the $2,500 deposit, the
cost of the prom- estimated at roughly $6,000– has effectively doubled.


    “There are not that many venues that can hold 300 people,” Apanovich said.

    While the closure of the Pavilion– and the potential
loss of deposits came as a surprise to many, the Bollard, an online
publication in Portland, has reported for several months that the
Pavilion was actively seeking a new owner.

    On Dec. 29, 2006, the Bollard reported “less than a
year,” after taking ownership, from Jim Albert, Oldakowski was seeking
to sell her interest.

    Albert, although claiming to have no financial
interest in the facility, was listed as the contact for potential
buyers, according to the Bollard.

    Albert is also a business associate of Old Orchard
Beach Pier owner Paul Golzbein who is the guarantor of the Pavilion’s
lease. Golzbein said that as guarantor, if Oldakowski defaults on
payments he is responsible for making them.

    Golzbein said he has paid the lease until June 2007
when it expires. Albert declined to comment except to say he no longer
has any involvement with the Pavilion.

    Sanford Project Graduation chairman Ann LaPierre
said committee members had heard The Pavilion was for sale, but
LaPierre said when she called Oldakowski, she was assured the contracts
signed last September would be honored.

    Now that The Pavilion is non-operational, Oldakowski cannot be reached at The Pavilion or on her cell phone.

    Portland-based Commercial Properties, Inc, chairman
and CEO Dick McGoldrick owns the Pavilion building. McGoldrick
confirmed the space is for lease, but said he had nothing to do with
The Pavilion.

  “Lisa (Oldakowski) did take deposits in her own name. That’s
about all I know,” he said. LaPierre said the check for the Project
Graduation deposit was made out to The Pavilion, not to Oldakowski.

    “I think it is awful what she’s (Oldakowski’s)
doing,” Golzbein said of the lost deposits. “You don’t take prom away
from the kids.”

    Reporters Brandi Neal and Renee Worthing contributed to this report.