CHARLENE EDWARDS HONEYWELL, District Judge.
176 N. Beach Street, Inc. ("NBSI") is a Florida corporation which owns and operates both the Coliseum Center for the Performing Arts ("The Coliseum"), a nightclub and live music venue located at 176 N. Beach Street, Daytona, Florida and The Arena Sports Cafe (the "Arena") located at 180 N. Beach Street, Daytona, Florida. Doc. 33, pp. 1-2; Doc. 40, ¶ 4. On August 19, 2008, NBSI completed a commercial insurance application indicating that the premise to be insured for "The Coliseum" is "176 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114." Exhibit to the Deposition of Randy Berner, taken May 24, 2011 (Berner Dep.), Doc. 35-3, pp. 162-65. The nature of the business is stated as "National Acts — There is no seating and the occupancy permit shows 1,210." Id. Plaintiff issued a Commercial General Liability Coverage Policy No. CPFL000279 to NBSI for the policy period beginning September 11, 2008 through September 11, 2009. (the "Policy", Doc. 40-1). For purposes of this litigation, the applicable portion of the policy is the Florida Liquor Liability Coverage Part. It provides, in pertinent part:
(Doc. 40-1) The Policy then defines "insured premises" to be the location listed
(Doc. 40-1, p. 2.). As provided in the policy, the insured premises under the Policy is 176 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
The Arena is a restaurant and sports bar for which NBSI is also the registered owner. (Berner Dep. Ex., Doc. 35-3). NBSI filed two Applications for Registration of Fictitious Name on May 13, 2008. (Doc. 35-3, p. 106). One application listed the fictitious name to be "The Coliseum Center for the Performing Arts," indicating it was located at 176 N. Beach Street, Daytona, Florida 32114, and the other application listed the fictitious name to be registered as "The Arena Sports Bar & Grill," indicating its location at 180 N. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, Florida. Id., p. 106-07. On May 15, 2008, NBSI executed two property lease agreements for the locations of 176 and 180 N. Beach Street. The lease entered into for operating The Coliseum lists the tenant as "176 North Beach Street, Inc. D/B/A The Coliseum Center for the Performing Arts," and describes the premises as "located on the first floor at 176 North Beach Street, Daytona Beach, Florida, or approximately 18, 298, 67 square feet." (Doc. 35-3, p. 23). NBSI's second lease agreement lists the tenant as "176 North Beach Street, Inc. D/B/A The Arena Sport's Bar & Grill" describing the premises as "located on the first floor at 180 North Beach Street, Daytona Beach, Florida, or approximately 10,649.21 square feet." Id., p. 41.
Prior to Founders' issuance of the Policy, Lantana Insurance Ltd. ("Lantana") issued a Commercial General Liability Coverage policy, Policy Number RLE400217-08 to NBSI. Lantana's policy to NBSI covers the period from August 28, 2008 through August 28, 2009, and defines the liquor liability coverage premises as "180 N. Beach Street Daytona Beach, FL 32114" listing "Restaurant" as the description of the insured premises. Doc. 35-3, pp. 65-66.
The events giving rise to this dispute occurred on the evening of October 30-31, 2008, when both parties agree that Weston Tome was involved in an automobile accident in Ormond Beach, Florida and sustained fatal injuries. (Parties Stipulation of Undisputed Facts, filed on September 2, 2011, Doc. 44 at ¶ 1.) Tome's passenger Kyle Lavelle sustained serious physical injuries. Doc. 1, ¶ 11. The Florida Traffic Crash Report indicates that Weston Tome had been at The Arena and was heading to his house when he lost control of his vehicle. Doc. 33-1.
Following the accident, Kyle Lavelle sued NBSI with respect to its operation of The Arena, naming the defendant as "176 N. Beach Street, Inc. d/b/a Arena Sports Bar." Doc. 33-2, ¶ 9. Around July 22, 2009, Lantana settled with Lavelle pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement, tendering the one million dollar ($1,000,000) policy limit to Lavelle. Id., ¶ 10.
Subsequently, on February 16, 2010, the Tome Estate filed a wrongful death action against NBSI alleging liability based upon the service of alcohol to Weston Tome at The Arena Sports Bar in violation of Florida Statute section 768.125. (Doc. 40-2). This action alleged that Tome was served alcoholic beverages by employees of The Arena, and consumed numerous alcoholic
On March 12, 2010, the Tome Estate amended its complaint, renaming the Defendant as "176 N. Beach Street, Inc., d/b/a The Arena Sports Bar & Grill and d/b/a The Coliseum Center for Performing Arts," alleging liability pursuant to section 768.125 based upon the service of alcohol to Tome at the Arena Sports Bar and The Coliseum Performing Arts Center. (Doc. 40-3, ¶ 11). Default was entered against NBSI on September 24, 2010. (Doc. 10).
Founders filed an action for declaratory judgment against the Tome Estate and NBSI to determine whether Founder's Policy extends coverage for the underlying claims presented by the Tome Estate against NBSI, and if Founders owes a duty to defend and indemnify NBSI for such claims. (Complaint filed June 25, 2010, Doc. 1; Amended Complaint filed August 12, 2011, Doc. 40). In its Motion for Summary Judgment, Founders asks the Court to find: (1) that Policy No. CPFL000279, issued to NBSI insures against liability arising from the selling, serving, or furnishing alcoholic beverages at The Coliseum located at 176 North Breach Street in Daytona Beach, Florida; and (2) because there is no evidence that decedent Weston Tome was sold, served or furnished alcoholic beverages at The Coliseum, there is no duty to defend or indemnify NBSI for the claims asserted by the Tome Estate. (Doc. 33, pp. 4-5.) In its Response in Opposition to Founder's Motion for Summary Judgment, the Defendant's position is that The Arena and The Coliseum constitute one "entertainment complex," large enough to encompass two postal addresses, and that neither is an independent legal entity. Doc. 45, p. 2.
The Court should grant summary judgment if it is satisfied that "there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law" after reviewing the pleadings, discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any supporting affidavits. Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(a). Issues of fact are genuine only "if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Material facts are those that will affect the outcome of the trial under governing law. Id. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505.
The moving party bears the initial burden of stating the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the record, including pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and affidavits, demonstrating the absence of genuine issues of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Hickson Corp. v. N. Crossarm Co., 357 F.3d 1256, 1259-60 (11th Cir.2004). That moving party's burden may also be discharged by showing the district court that "there is an absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party's case" Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548. When the moving party has discharged its burden, the nonmoving party must then designate specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of material fact. Id. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548. In determining whether a genuine issue of
According to the principles of contract interpretation, a court must first examine the natural and plain meaning of an insurance policy's language. Key v. Allstate Ins. Co., 90 F.3d 1546 (11th Cir. 1996). The interpretation of an insurance policy is a question of law to be determined by the Court. Fireman's Fund Ins. Co. v. Tropical Shipping and Constr. Co., 254 F.3d 987, 1003 (11th Cir.2011). Indeed, "Under Florida law, if the terms of an insurance contract are clear and unambiguous, a court must interpret the contract in accordance with its plain meaning, and unless an ambiguity exists, a court should not resort to outside evidence or the complex rules of construction to construe the contract." Key, 90 F.3d at 1549. Here, the Court concludes that, based on its express and plain terms, Founder's Policy No. CPFL000279, insures NBSI against liability arising from the selling, serving, or furnishing alcoholic beverages, only at "The Coliseum" located at 176 North Beach Street in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The parties have stipulated that Founders issued Policy No. CPFL000279 to 176 N. Beach Street, Inc., for the policy period from September 11, 2008 through September 11, 2009. Doc. 44, ¶ 2. The Policy defines "insured premises" as:
(Doc. 40-1, p. 46). As noted, the declarations page designated the "insured location address" as:
(Doc. 40-1, p. 2.).
Plaintiff cites cases interpreting virtually identical terms and finding no ambiguity in the term "insured premises" when defined as "the premises designated in the declarations." Acceptance Ins. Co. v. Segal, Segal & Lieberman, et. al., Civ. A. No. 93-0299, 1994 WL 12114, *5 (E.D.Pa. Jan. 14, 1994) (finding, where declarations identified the "insured premises" by physical address as "816 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107" that the insurance company was liable only for damages arising out of the operation at that specific address); Bailes v. Erie Ins. Prop. & Cas. Co., 2010 WL 358768, *5 (S.D.W.Va. Jan. 25, 2010) (holding that where the "Carr Street Property" was not within the addresses defined as "insured location," in the policy, that address was unambiguously excluded from coverage). Accordingly, here the liquor liability provision of the Policy clearly applies only to injuries which occur as a result of the selling, serving, or furnishing alcoholic beverages at The Coliseum on 176 N. Beach Street.
Next, Defendant's citation to a Florida statute, section 561.01(11), which provides an expansive definition of "licensed premises" for the purpose of Florida's Beverage laws, is similarly misplaced,
Third, the Defendant argues that limiting the issue of liability to the definition of "insured premises" disregards another basis for liability stemming from the Policy, for "causing or contributing to the intoxication of any person." Doc. 45, pp. 8-9. Defendant contends that the exclusions specifically eliminate (and thus the coverage extends to) indemnities for which the insured may be held liable for reason of "the furnishing of alcoholic beverages to a person under the legal drinking age or under the influence of alcohol." Doc. 40-1, p. 47. Defendant cites the deposition testimony of Kyle Lavelle, recalling that Weston Tome was given a wrist band at The
As the Policy's coverage unambiguously applies to events occurring only at The Coliseum, there is no duty for Founders to defend against injuries not covered by the Policy. Despite Defendant's arguments about the expansive nature of an insurer's duty to defend,
Given Founders' Policy provides coverage for the provision of alcohol in The Coliseum, summary judgment for Founders is not appropriate if Defendant raises a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Weston Tome was sold, served, or furnished alcoholic beverages on the insured premises of The Coliseum at 176 N. Beach Street. Founders avers that "the discovery in this action has not revealed any evidence to support The Estate's allegation that, on the evening of October 30-31, 2008, Weston Tome was sold, served or furnished alcohol at The Coliseum. In fact, there is a complete lack of evidence to support such allegation." Doc. 33, p. 4. In contrast, the Tome Estate claims that "there is sufficient evidence from which a jury may conclude an employee at the north/Coliseum end of the premises sold or furnished alcohol to the underaged decedent." Doc. 45, p. 2.
Founders notes that in response to its interrogatories asking for any indication that Weston Tome was a patron of The Coliseum on the night of the accident, the Tome Estate repeated the statement that Tome was present "on the premises of 176 N. Beach Street, Inc.," because of Defendant's position that both The Arena and The Coliseum constitute the insured premises for Policy No. CPFL000279.
In response to Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, Defendant offers the following link of events as evidence that Weston Tome may have been a patron at The Coliseum: (1) Kyle Lavelle's testimony that The Coliseum was like a "ghost town" and "empty" on the night in question; (2) Berner's similar recollection that there were no more than twenty to thirty patrons that evening; (3) The Coliseum's total sales receipts registered $157.00; (4) Lavelle's recollection that while at The Arena that evening, Tome took shots that he thought may have been tequila, also drank beer, and his method of payment was "probably cash"; and that (5) receipts from The Coliseum reflect cash sales after 10:30 p.m. including beer, tequila, and an "open shot." Doc. 45, p. 6; Lavelle Dep., Doc. 45-3; Berner Dep., Doc. 34-2. Defendants argue that because there were very few patrons at The Coliseum, Lavelle observed Tome drinking beer and possibly tequila at The Arena, and at least one beer and tequila were purchased at The Coliseum later that evening, this amounts to a reasonable inference that Weston Tome purchased drinks at The Coliseum. Doc. 45, p. 6. Finally, Defendant notes that upon being asked if he recalled whether Weston Tome went to The Coliseum on the night of the accident, Kyle Lavelle stated "It's a definite possibility." Doc. 45, p. 10; Lavelle Dep., Doc. 45-3, pp. 184-85.
Although Defendant is correct that a jury is entitled to draw all reasonable inferences from the evidence, Sec. Exch. Comm'n v. Ginsburg, 362 F.3d 1292, 1296 (11th Cir.2004), the chain of evidence it puts forward is simply too attenuated to constitute a genuine issue of fact, particularly in conjunction with a lack of any affirmative evidence that Tome was furnished with any drinks at The Coliseum. Defendant relies upon an impermissible pyramiding of inferences to attempt to create a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether Weston Tome was sold, served or furnished alcoholic beverages at The Coliseum on the night of October 30-31, 2008. The Tome Estate's failure to present evidence to support its claim against The Coliseum is, in itself, a proper basis for summary judgment. Essex Builders Group, Inc. v. Amerisure Ins. Co., 485 F.Supp.2d 1302, 1307 (M.D.Fla. 2007). Moreover, with respect to the chain of inferences Defendant proffers, "[s]upposition
Founders meets its burden for summary judgment by "pointing to an absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party's case." Boudreaux v. Swift Trans. Co., 402 F.3d 536, 544-45 (5th Cir.2005). The Tome Estate has failed to provide more than speculative or attenuated pieces of evidence that The Coliseum sold, served, or furnished Weston Tome alcoholic beverages on the insured premises of 176 N. Beach Street. As no genuine issues of material fact exist, Founders is entitled to judgment on this issue as a matter of law.
For the aforementioned reasons, the Court concludes that Plaintiff Founders Insurance Company is entitled to judgment in its favor as a matter of law. Accordingly, it is hereby