Referendum on Greek Theatre Qualifies for Ballot

Organizers of a referendum drive seeking a ballot measure to overturn a Los Angeles city contract for the Greek Theatre have collected enough voter signatures to qualify for the ballot, the city clerk said Monday.

Unless the City Council votes to overturn the contract naming Greek-Nederlander Inc. the operator of the theater, voters will be asked in November to approve a referendum requiring the council to appoint the most competitive bidder to the post.

The referendum is sponsored by Universal House of Blues, which argued that the council unfairly--and illegally--extended the contract of Greek-Nederlander last month. The politically well-connected firm has run the theater for more than 25 years.

City Councilman Joel Wachs, a consistent critic of a recent decision to extend Greek-Nederlander’s contract, is calling on the council to rescind its vote, saying the city would be forced to spend $1.8 million to put the issue before the voters.