Mayor Fulop Announces the City is Dropping its Lawsuit Against the Friends of the Loews as Administration Works with Non-Profit on Theater’s Future

Administration Collaborating on Facility Improvements and Renovations with Work to Begin on Several Projects in Next Few Months

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced today that the city of Jersey City is dropping its lawsuit against the Friends of the Loews, the non-profit organization that currently manages the historic Loews Theatre in Journal Square, as the administration and the non-profit work together toward the theater’s future.

“We made a commitment to rebuilding our relationship with the Friends of the Loews so we can have a productive partnership and reach our common goal of restoring the theater to a vibrant community space,” said Mayor Fulop.  “Over the past several months, we have been meeting with the Friends of the Loews and discussing ways we can collaborate on some of the more immediate renovations and work toward future plans.”

“While our dialogues have been positive and constructive, we saw dismissing the lawsuit as the right thing to do as we work together in good faith on the theater’s future,” added Mayor Fulop.

Over the next few weeks, the administration expects to go out to bid and then begin work on projects that will help improve safety and functionality of the theater, such as the installation of emergency lighting, smoke detection, and standpipe systems utilizing Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund grant dollars.  Repairs to a cracked structural wall on the side addition of the theater will also begin over the summer and once complete will allow the scaffolding near the alleyway to be removed.  This work will be funded by capital dollars from the city.

In 2014, the Fulop administration retained AEG Live following a bid process to renovate and manage the Loews Theatre after previously notifying the Friends of the Loews that their lease with the city was invalid.  The Friends of the Loews sued and the city filed a countersuit alleging a breached lease.  While the court has ruled via summary judgment that the Friends of the Loews have a valid lease, they also ruled that the city may pursue its countersuit for breach of lease at trial.  The city is dismissing that suit as the administration and the Friends of the Loews work together on the future of the theater.