One business deal gone wrong has resulted in two lawsuits.
Sarasota-based attorney Christopher Michael Nigro filed a pair of lawsuits Dec. 19, 2025, against two separate groups of defendants on behalf of LLC plaintiffs StayTerra Vacations, Prime Vacations and GSP Prime Holdings.
While separate, both lawsuits relate to Garnett Stations Partners’ $105 million purchase in September 2024 of a majority stake in a vacation rental management business referred to as Prime Business.
Prime Business comprises six brands: AMI Locals, Anna Maria Island Accommodations, Anna Maria Vacations, Siesta Key Luxury Property Rentals, Lido Key Vacations and Tropical Sands Vacations.
According to lawsuit documents, Prime Business managed about 1,110 vacation rental properties, about 130 of which were indirectly owned or controlled by Prime Business’ founders and owners — local developer Shawn Kaleta and real estate investor Roman Eckert.
GSP is a New York-based principal investment firm with more than $3.5 billion of assets, founded in 2013 by managing partners Matt Perelman and Alex Sloane.
The firm’s purchase of Prime Business was done through StayTerra Vacations LLC and GSP Prime Holdings LLC, which is why they are listed as plaintiffs instead of GSP.
Part of the deal was that Prime Business’ original founders/owners would not compete with, recruit or hire employees and service providers away from, as well as contract with any suppliers of Prime Business for five years.
The deal also granted the business the exclusive right to collect management fees for its collection of properties for at least seven years.
However, both of StayTerra’s lawsuits allege a “deliberate, bad faith scheme to eviscerate the benefit of the bargain,” by a pair of ownership groups involved with the properties.
One lawsuit names 12 defendants:
- Bradenton resident Kiri Stewart and six LLCs she manages, including Magnolia Cottages, 224 Chilson Ave., 128 Fillmore, 9801 Gulf Dr., 243 South Harbor Dr. and 48 Street;
- Five LLCs managed by Kaleta, including 2210 Avenue A, 2403 Avenue C., 103 Park Ave. AMI, 6548 Sabal Dr. and 518 Spring.
The Bradenton-based Najmy Thompson law firm is listed as the registered agent for all 10 property-specific LLCs, according to the Florida Division of Corporations.
The Stewart lawsuit will be overseen by Judge Charles Sniffen of the 12th Circuit Court.
The second lawsuit names 23 defendants:
- Anna Maria resident Jennifer Warren-Kaleta, Shawn Kaleta’s ex-wife;
- AMI Premier Properties Inc., for which Warren-Kaleta is the listed manager and registered agent;
- 18 property-specific LLCs managed by Warren-Kaleta, including 91 Avenida Veneccia, Palmetto Panama, RE 106 9th, 107 Maple Ave, 117 Palm Ave, 3605 Gulf Dr, 107 Palm Ave, 112 Palm Ave, 3602 6th, Island Savvy Ventures, 209 65th, 100 73rd, 216 Palmetto Ave, 305 Magnolia, 9405 Gulf Drive, 303 Pine, Gulf View Beach House and 307 Magnolia;
- Three property-specific LLCs managed by Kaleta, including 104 9th St. SK, 301 22nd and 741 Jacaranda.
The Warren-Kaleta case was assigned to Judge Stephen Mathew Whyte of the 12th Circuit Court.
In both cases, StayTerra alleged that the ownership groups completed transfer agreements in a “shadow listing” scheme to collect rental management fees for the properties despite the purchase agreement giving StayTerra exclusive rights to collect management fees.
StayTerra’s lawsuit argues that the ownership groups’ actions deprive the company of its “bargained-for rights” stipulated in the purchase of Prime Business.
StayTerra is seeking $5 million in damages from the defendants in the Stewart lawsuit and $9 million in damages from the defendants in the Warren-Kaleta case, in addition to attorneys’ fees.
It also asked the court to grant temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions “prohibiting defendants from continuing to engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices” moving forward.
No hearing dates for either case had been scheduled as of Feb. 7, according to the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court.
