NEW YORK, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- A New York hot dog vendor says he was evicted from his spot by the Metropolitan Museum of Art because he could not afford the $53,558 monthly rent.
Vendor Pasang Sherpa, 51, said he routinely made up to $1,500 daily at his location but fell $310,000 behind on the Parks Department rent, the New York Daily News reported.
"I'm going crazy," said Sherpa, who agreed in 2008 to pay nearly $643,000 annually for the vendor rights to the museum location. "I don't know what to do now."
Sherpa said his eviction comes after his business was hurt by a lengthy construction project near the museum's steps.
Parks spokesman Phil Abramson confirmed Sherpa and his vending carts have been evicted from the museum location and the city department has seized $170,000 in performance bonds from the hot dog vendor's company.
"As they are in arrears for the bulk of their contract, we are seizing their bonds and will seek the rest of the money they owe us through litigation," Abramson told the Daily News.
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