Caymen Sinclair, owner of The Lake House in Mandeville, said he has given up.

Sinclair said he couldn’t make a profit running a business when he is at odds with his neighbors.

While he was successful in obtaining a permit from the city to operate a special events venue at his Lakefront restaurant, the problems it caused him with his neighbors and the bad publicity the ordeal brought about has ruined his catering business, and has caused him to revamp his whole business plan. He said on Easter Sunday he caved and told the residents who fought him that he would no longer book large events at facility. Sinclair said since then his restaurant business has taken off. He plans to come back before the Mandeville Planning and Zoning Commission and request the permit he fought so hard for to hold large scale events be pulled.

“I can’t fight with these people,” he said. “My catering business is non-existent now. Who’s going to book a wedding with me knowing the cops are going to show up?”

Sinclair said he has decided to go another route.

His new focus?

A snowball stand on the Lakefront.

Sinclair came back before the commission Tuesday night, and this time there were no angry Old Mandeville residents in attendance.

He is requesting permission to place a snowball stand on the property he is leasing adjacent to the restaurant. He originally leased the property on either side of the restaurant as a means to provide access to the rear of the property, where he was required to build a parking lot.

He said he never built the parking lot because he was approached by Old Mandeville Business Association members, who brought to his attention the damage that would do to a beautiful piece of untouched Lakefront property.

Sinclair plans to bring in a self-contained unit on wheels that can be removed when storms approach. He would like to build a roof and structure with a deck around the building with benches as well as another gazebo for people using Lakeshore Drive to have a place to sit and relax while enjoying the view.

“I want to create a family park atmosphere,” he said. “You can’t eat or drink on the Lakefront so this would be a place for people to do that.”

He said in the future he would like to look into renting bicycles also at the location.

The snowball stand would require a variance, since the city does not allow for mobile buildings, as well as a zoning permit for that use.

The case is set to come back before the commission for a vote next month.