Amphitheater Wins

Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre was awarded $543,000 in legal fees Tuesday from its long battle against the former owner of the defunct Lion Country Safari animal park.

During 12 years of litigation over use of the site in Irvine, Lion Country owner Harry Shuster and his United Leisure Corp. had threatened to tear down the outdoor concert venue, which had subleased land from him.

Shuster settled lawsuits last summer with The Irvine Co., which owns the property. The amphitheater and Wild Rivers Waterpark, which also leased land from Shuster, had won their cases, contending he had no right to tear down their businesses.

At a hearing Tuesday, Orange County Superior Court Judge Michael Brenner made Shuster liable personally along with his companies for the amphitheater’s legal fees, said J. Michael Hennigan, a lawyer for the theater.

Shuster, a Los Angeles businessman, couldn’t be reached for comment. His lawyers filed an appeal, Hennigan said.