JERSEY CITY, NJ (CelebrityAccess) — Superior Court judge delivered a blow to AEG's plans to take over management of the Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre when he ruled that the nonprofit group that runs the historic theater had a valid lease for the venue that the city cannot break.
"This is a contract. The parties are bound by the contract," Judge Hector Velazquez ruled, when dismissing an argument by an attorney for the city.
According to the New Jersey Journal, the city's attorney declined to comment following the hearing, but a spokeswoman for the city later said:
"Instead of the possibility of daily events with global talent coming to Jersey City, this instead guarantees the theater will sit as is with only sporadic silent movies, even less frequent concerts, no air conditioning and no ability of the group to complete the restoration. It is upsetting because the most important thing to the FOL was protecting their own personal salaries and fiefdom, despite the fact they can't complete the repairs after 25 years."
Jersey City mayor Steve Fulop announced a plan to have AEG take over management of the theater, but the plan was opposed by the Friends of Loews, a largely volunteer group that prevented the historic venue from being demolished in 1993 and who currently manage the venue for $1 a year. Following Fulop's announcement, the FOL sued, claiming that Fulop's plan would violate the terms of their lease with the city. – Staff Writers
