Brushing competing promoters aside, parks board awards Greek Theatre operation to city

The Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Parks voted 3-1 Wednesday to temporarily let the City of Los Angeles itself operate Griffith Park's Greek Theatre. Under the plan, the city would take over management duties from the Nederlander Organization that has operated the venue for decades, the L.A. Times reports.

The operation of the historic theater has been at the center of a heated yearlong debate. In October, the parks commission recommended that concert promoter Live Nation take over venue operations once the current contract with Nederlander expires in October, echoing suggestions from an independent panel's report.

Then in January, an L.A. City Council committee voted to allow the incumbent Nederlander to maintain control of the venue. Nederlander also had the backing community groups like the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council and the Los Feliz Improvement Association, L.A Times reporter Emily Alpert Reyes told Take Two. 

On Wednesday, the parks commission opted for a solution that's likely to frustrate both: the city would operate the venue and oversee its calendar, while promoters like Live Nation and Nederlander — among others — would be able to book individual acts and reserve dates at the Greek for their shows, according to the Times.

The commission report found that the city stands to gain $3 million to $4.8 million in revenue under the open venue plan, By comparison, the theater netted around $2 million last year.