New lease amendment approved for Benny's on the Beach by Lake Worth Beach Commissioners

LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Benny's on the Beach is back in business.

After months of negotiations over a fair rental price for the property, the Lake Worth Beach City Commission voted 4 to 1 in a special meeting on Wednesday evening to renew the restaurant's lease agreement for another 10 years.

The restaurant's owner, Lee Lipton, told the city commission in April that he would close Benny's if the lease wasn't renegotiated. However this evening, Lipton said during the meeting he was hesitant to pay the increase, but he believes in Benny's and the city.

"This is not an easy business," Lipton said. "You can take a look at some of the people back there. They work seven days a week and they don't just do it for the money, just like I don't do it just for money. And I know my family, and Jeremy and Dylan and Max and everybody don't do it just for money. We love this business. We love Lake Worth [Beach]."

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The new lease amendment comes after dozens of people showed up outside city hall to show their support for the popular restaurant.

Thebase rent went up about 65 percent. The next steps for the restaurant will be how to maintain the building for the following decade,