I want to say kudos to the reporter for featuring these two points in his story:

? “I’m funding someone else’s restaurant,” said Kevin Jennings, who owns Frazier’s and Porter’s on Hillsborough Street. “I’m funding my competition.”

? For a year, the city has tried unsuccessfully to lure a tenant there.

Those are the key issues. If that was such a bang-up place for a “white tablecloth” (ooooooh) restaurant, the city wouldn’t have to “lure” a place there ? and other restaurant owners (not to mention everyone else, including non-patrons) wouldn’t be forced to pay their own money to harm their own businesses.