23-05-2025
Tampa group says there are no graves on controversial property they want to sell
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A group trying to sell a controversial piece of land next to a cemetery in Tampa said there are no graves and no people buried on the land they want to sell.
Showmen's Rest owns a cemetery and a parcel of land next to Woodlawn Cemetery in Tampa.
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John Perzia is the President of Showmen's Rest and said one parcel of land was purchased from the city in the 1950s and developed into a cemetery for people in the Carnival and Showmen's industry.
He said there are several famous people buried in the mausoleum there, including famous stunt car driver Joie Chitwood, who performed car stunts in James Bond movies and a family of circus showmen who invented a stunt where people are fired out of a cannon.
'The Zacchini family, which were the original people to get shot out of a cannon, is buried there,' Perzia said, pointing to the mausoleum.
Perzia planned to be buried there as well, but he said his group needs to sell the land, where there are no graves, so that the cemetery and mausoleum can be cared for long after he's gone.
Perzia said his group bought the land from the city, and if there are people who are buried there, it should be up to the city of Tampa to deal with it.
Tampa's City Council discussed the issue Tuesday, with Councilman Guido Manisalco indicating he's in favor of investigating to find out if the city should buy the property.
'I'd like to see if council would have the appetite in moving forward, and I don't know how we begin negotiations with the private property owner, in just acquiring that,' Manisalco said.
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