Ex-NFL player sues over assisted living facilities deal in Tampa
By Frances McMorris
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Dec 23, 2015

A former NFL player for the New York Jets is suing the NFL Alumni Association, saying the organization moved to cut him out of his consulting fees after he helped a Tampa-based developer obtain the endorsement of the association to build assisted living facilities.

Earl Christy, a former defensive back and kickoff returner for the Jets and a member of the team that won the SuperBowl in 1968, alleges in his lawsuit that the "NFLAA intentionally and unjustifiably interfered with [his] rights under the consulting agreement by using the significant leverage of its brand” to cut him out of the fees he is owed.

NFLAA President Joe Pisarcik said in a telephone interview, "At this point we have no comment on the suit.”

The fees that Christy is pursuing arose out of a consulting agreement he contends he entered into on April 6 with Tampa developer and attorney Mark Bouldin, who works with Validus Senior Living on its Inspired Living brand of assisted living communities.

As part of the agreement, Christy contends he introduced Bouldin to Pisarcik. In exchange, Christy was to be paid a fee of $3,000 per month as well as an additional $3,000 per month per each assisted living facility built that had the written endorsement of the NFLAA.

Christy's lawsuit further alleges that when the NFLAA discovered the existence of the consulting agreement, the organization "sent an email purporting to immediately withdraw from the deal if Christy remained associated with the project.”

Christy's lawyer, Paul Thanasides, said Bouldin first filed suit in state court seeking to rescind the agreement between him and Christy, a 72-year-old resident of Pinellas County.

Bouldin and the NFLAA eventually entered into a joint venture agreement for the development and marketing of 33 assisted living facilities in NFL cities using the NFLAA brand. The NFLAA made the announcement in July, saying that Bouldin, along with Validus Senior Living and investment bank Piper Jaffray ( NYSE: PJC), will spend $1.1 billion to built the assisted living and memory care communities during the next five years.

The facilities are slated to be built in cities with high concentrations of retired NFL players but won't be limited to former players. The first community is scheduled to open in Orlando next year.

Frances covers transportation and hospitality for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.