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Florida may be spared big GM closings, dealers say

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By KRISTA KLAUS | News Channel 8

Published: May 15, 2009

Updated: 05/15/2009 03:16 pm

TAMPA - A lucky few General Motors dealers in Tampa Bay know they're not on the chopping block as the auto maker cuts 1,100 dealers nationwide to help revive its finances.

When the dust clears, and that may not be until next week, Florida may remain safe from the cuts, some dealers say.

"We've been told in confidence by General Motors that we're specifically rock solid," said Bob Towler, general manager of Maher Chevrolet in St. Petersburg.

Towler said GM officials told him most dealerships to be closed are in Northeastern markets or areas with especially depressed economies.

All told, about 60 General Motors dealers in West Central Florida are awaiting word on their fate, which would come like all daily packages from GM via Federal Express.

Unlike with Chrysler, which used a bankruptcy document Thursday to list dealerships it will close, no list was expected today from GM.

GM is still trying avoid bankruptcy.

At least two other local Chevrolet dealers, Tom Castriota of Hudson and Buddy Foster of Zephyrhills, said they also got word they have been spared.

Dealers in smaller markets are more likely to be closed, Castriota said, based on GM criteria that also includes market share, sales trends and whether a dealer is paired with a non-GM product.

Foster said notice was expected to arrive by noon and he heard by phone he isn't getting one.

"It's a good thing," he said. "I'm in business 35 years, and GM is going to survive and be stronger when it comes back."

Billy Herold, general manager at Bartow Chevrolet, said he hadn't heard anything by 2 p.m.

"Our FedEx man came and went, and of course, we went and hid under a half-ton truck in the lot. But no news is good news."

One way word will spread is through companies and groups that do business with GM dealerships, including the National Automobile Dealership Association.

David Hyatt, spokesman for the association, said he doesn't expect a complete list to emerge until next week.

The average dealership employs about 50 people, Hyatt said, meaning some 55,000 jobs are at risk nationwide in the GM move.

One local dealer remained optimistic.

"Our report card is excellent," said Steve Barger, general manager of Ed Morse Cadillac in Tampa. "We've grown market share four years in a row."

Here's a list off all local dealers, including those selling Saturn vehicles – a brand GM hopes to sell off:

Century Buick Pontiac GMC, Tampa

James Rivard Buick Pontiac GMC, Tampa

Crown Buick Pontiac GMC, St. Petersburg

Dick Norris Pontiac GMC, Clearwater

Ferman Buick Pontiac GMC, Lutz

Dick Norris Buick Pontiac GMC, Palm Harbor

Lott-Mather Buick Pontiac GMC, Plant City

Ed Morse Buick-Olds-Mazda, Port Richey

Cannon Automotive Group, Lakeland

Conley Buick, Bradenton

Pasco Motors, Dade City

Bartow Gmc-Pontiac-Buick, Bartow

Sunset Buick-GMC, Sarasota

Central Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Winter Haven

Fields-Huston Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac & GMC, Lake Wales

Darby Buick-Pontiac-GMC, Venice

Ed Morse Cadillac, Brandon

Ed Morse Cadillac, Tampa

Dew Cadillac, Pinellas Park

Larry Dimmitt Cadillac, Clearwater

Autoway Cadillac, Port Richey

Tropical Cadillac, Bradenton

Coast Cadillac Saab, Sarasota

Crest Cadillac Company, Venice

Ferman Chevrolet, Tampa

Tom Moore Chevrolet, Tampa

Gordon Chevrolet, Tampa

Maher Chevrolet, St. Petersburg

Autoway Chevrolet, Clearwater

Dimmitt Chevrolet, Clearwater

Ferman Chevrolet-Oldsmobile of Tarpon Springs, Tarpon Springs

Stingray Chevrolet, Plant City

Buddy Foster Chevrolet, Zephyrhills

Castriota Chevrolet, Hudson

Chevrolet of Dade City, Dade City

Cox Chevrolet, Bradenton

Michael Holley Chevrolet, Lakeland

Bartow Chevrolet, Bartow

Sunset Chevrolet, Sarasota

Chevrolet Center, Winter Haven

Lott-Mather Chevrolet, Haines City

Sorensen-Schade Chevrolet, Lake Wales

Bill Buck Chevrolet, Venice

Autoway Pontiac GMC, Port Richey

Regal Pontiac Oldsmobile GMC Truck, Lakeland

Red Hoagland Pontiac-GMC, Bradenton

Sunset Pontiac, Sarasota

Reeves Hummer Tampa, Tampa

Larry Dimmitt Cadillac, Clearwater

Saturn of Brandon, Brandon

Saturn of Tampa, Tampa

Saturn of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg

Saturn of Clearwater, Clearwater

Saturn of Port Richey, Port Richey

Saturn of Lakeland, Lakeland

Saturn of Manatee, Manatee

Saturn of Sarasota, Sarasota

Saab of Tampa, Tampa

Dimmitt Saab, Clearwater

Reporter Rich Mullins and editor Dennis Joyce contributed to this report. Reporter Krista Klaus can be reached at (813) 225-2736

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