Fort Lauderdale, Fla., World Trade Center Moves from Building after Rent Suit.

Byline: Jenni Bergal

Dec. 14--The World Trade Center Fort Lauderdale, which promotes international business, has moved out of its offices at New River Center in Fort Lauderdale, after being sued for non-payment of rent.

The center, a for-profit group that promotes international trade, is one of more than 300 around the world that are franchises of the World Trade Centers Association. With about 300 members, including the Broward Alliance, an economic development group, the Fort Lauderdale center holds seminars, trade shows and other trade-related events.

The landlord, Lauderdale River Inc. sued the center in Broward Circuit Court on Nov. 30, saying it failed to pay rent for October and November and owed a total of $34,156 in rent and other fees. The company asked a judge to evict the trade center from the building at 200 E. Las Olas Blvd. Lauderdale River is managed by Invesco Realty Advisors, a Dallas company, on behalf of a pension fund.

Fred Frankel, the trade center's president, said Thursday that the rent was withheld because of a dispute with the building's owner, which would not let him make "the enhancements" to the site that he wanted.

He said he would not comment about what those enhancements were, but added that he plans to file his own lawsuit in response. "It's a not a matter of not having the money to pay the rent," he said.