Irvine Co. to Pay $4 Million in Lion Country Settlement

The Irvine Co.’s settlement of lawsuits over the Lion County Safari site includes a $4-million payment to United Leisure Corp., which ran the now-defunct animal park on land leased from the big developer.

During 12 years of litigation, United Leisure accused the Irvine Co. of thwarting the development of other businesses at the Irvine site near the El Toro “Y” freeway junction.

An Orange County jury awarded United Leisure $42.6 million in 1993, but the judge later ruled the evidence insufficient. A new trial order was upheld by state appeals judges this year.

No figures were disclosed Monday when the settlement was announced. United Leisure Chairman Harry Shuster revealed the $4-million payment in a news release later, acknowledging it “is considerably less” than the jury award that was reversed. “To continue to pursue the legal action “could have taken another 10 years and millions of dollars,” Shuster said.

Irvine Co. officials declined comment.

United Leisure’s lease on the 300 acres of Irvine Co. land expired last year. Wild Rivers Waterpark and Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, which once subleased their land at the site from Shuster, now lease from the Irvine Co.