SARASOTA, FLORIDA: Unconditional Surrender — On the Bay it Must Stay!

Time-lapse video of visitors to the iconic sculpture of Unconditional Surrender.

In 2010 the sculpture “Unconditional Surrender” was purchased by Jack Curran, a WW II Navy veteran, and with support from numerous Sarasota veterans and patriotic organizations. Mr. Curran was able to gift the sculpture to the City of Sarasota at a personal cost of $500,000.  The full intent of Mr. Curran was that the statue remain on Sarasota’s bay front. 

One gentleman named Daniel O’Rourke even produced buttons with the slogan “Unconditional Surrender” – On The Bay It Must Stay, used as the title of this column.

Jim Haberman in an email to the citizens of Sarasota, Florida wrote:

The upcoming roundabout construction at U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Ave. will necessitate relocating the Unconditional Surrender sculpture to a nearby site on the Sarasota Bayfront, its home for the past 15 years, and some are attempting to take advantage of that situation in order to have it permanently removed from the Bayfront.  Contrary to recent news reports, only the Sarasota City Commission can make the final decision, and no decision has yet been made.  The Commission will probably do so at its October 5 meeting.

Unconditional Surrender serves as a tribute to America’s victory in World War II, and the military veterans  – the Greatest Generation – which made that victory possible.  Various Sarasota county veterans organizations – and others – are passionately advocating for the sculpture to remain in a prominent Bayfront location.

In addition, Unconditional Surrender draws huge numbers of visitors to the downtown area.  According to Virginia Haley, President of Visit Sarasota, Sarasota county’s official tourism marketing entity, 25% of all visitors to Sarasota County visit Unconditional Surrender.  Given the unprecedented economic impact of COVID-19 on Sarasota’s downtown business district, removing one of the principal attractions drawing visitors to the downtown area would not be a wise choice.

FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO:

1.) Take the one-minute City of Sarasota survey.  NOTE: Only options 1. or 2. are on the Bayfront: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Unconditional_Surrender

2.) Send an e-mail to each of the Sarasota City Commissioners, respectfully requesting that Unconditional Surrender remain on the Sarasota Bayfront.  If you are a City resident, please state so in your e-mail:

Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, Jen.Ahearn-Koch@sarasotafl.gov

Vice-Mayor Shelli Freeland Eddie, Shelli.FreelandEddie@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Willie Charles Shaw, Willie.Shaw@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Liz Alpert, Liz.Alpert@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Hagen Brody, Hagen.Brody@sarasotafl.gov

3.) Offer public comment of up to three minutes at the Sarasota City Commission meeting (probably October 5) at which the commissioners will vote on Unconditional Surrender’s final disposition.  Can be done at City Hall or remotely from home.  If you are a City resident, please say so during your comments.  The public comment protocols are at https://www.sarasotafl.gov/home/showdocument?id=6498.

4.) Forward this e-mail to others who support keeping Unconditional Surrender on the Sarasota Bayfront, and post the information to social media.

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