No Bonefish closures in Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County

MANATEE -- No Tampa Bay-area Bonefish Grill locations will close, according to an email from a Bloomin' Brands spokeswoman.

"None of the Tampa Bay area restaurants will be impacted - this includes Bradenton/Sarasota," Elizabeth Watts, director of media and community relations for Bloomin' Brands, said in a release.

During the company's fourth-quarter earnings call this week, Bloomin' Brands announced it will close 14 Bonefish Grill locations in 2016. The company will not specify locations of closures to the public at this time.

"Out of respect for our employees and being able to share information with them first, we are not releasing a list" of closed locations, Watts said Friday.

According to a Bloomin' Brands release, the decision came after "the company incurred pre-tax asset impairments of approximately $24.2 million during the thirteen weeks ended Dec. 27, 2015."

In 2014, Bloomin' Brands' year-end stock price was $24.76, but dropped to $16.89 in 2015. Bloomin' Brands also owns Carrabba's Italian Grill, Outback Steakhouse and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

Janelle O'Dea, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095. Follow her on Twitter@jayohday.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 2:15 PM with the headline "No Bonefish closures in Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County ."