Deal closing in for The Autoport

The Autoport could be sold before a scheduled sheriff’s sale Thursday.

Co-owner Greg Mussi said it is a matter of crossing and dotting “t’s and i’s,” though he declined to identify the buyers.

If the private sale does not take place, the Mussis would take steps to avoid the sheriff’s sale and continue to operate the state’s oldest motel. He also noted that the prospective buyers intend to continue operating The Autoport when a sale is complete.

“The sales agreement was given to the bank,” Mussi said. “There are a lot of contingencies that get tacked on throughout the process, and we’re making sure that the banks and buyers are all on the same page and making sure everyone is protected. The last thing they want is to walk away.”

The possible new owners, he said, are invested in the historical aspects of The Autoport.

“We bought it strictly to protect it from the wrecking ball, and they’ve assured me it wouldn’t happen,” Mussi said. “It really, really matters to me. I’m a historical preservationist. That’s what I did before I bought this. It’s very, very important to me that this place continues.”

Mussi said the buyers would renovate the motel in blocks.

“They are more than adequately funded to buy the place, and the actual closing probably wouldn’t happen until January,” Mussi said. “We’re all moving as quickly as possible, because nobody wants to wait. I know they’re excited to get started on improvements.”

It is also possible Mussi would stay on to manage Clem’s, though the restaurant’s name will change by Dec. 31 after an agreement by the Mussis, Clem Pantalone and the owners of Clem’s Cafe in Blairsville, according to court documents. The agreement does not allow The Autoport or Pantalone to use the name “Clem’s,” except for the name “BBQ by Clem’s.”

The Mussis have avoided foreclosure with Enterprise Bank since last year.

Joseph Fidler, Enterprise Bank’s attorney, placed the total liability at $1.34 million plus interest after April 17, 2014, of about $144 per day; late charges; attorney’s fees; and costs for foreclosure and sale of the property against The Piedmont Food Co. and Mussi Realty, each owned by the Mussis.

Mussi said he has stuck by his word to preserve The Autoport.

“I could have sold it a long time ago for it to be something else like a strip mall, but it’s important to me that it keeps running,” he said. “It’s a part of the fabric of this town and community.”

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Deal closing in for The Autoport."