Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jan 27, 2017 23:44:19 GMT -6
variety.com/2017/film/news/relativity-media-eviction-beverly-hills-office-1201971114/
Relativity Media Facing Eviction From Beverly Hills Offices
The long downward spiral of Relativity Media has taken another turn, with the company’s landlord going to court to evict the failing entertainment concern from its Beverly Hills offices.
An unlawful detainer action filed this month in Superior Court in Santa Monica says Ryan Kavanaugh’s company owes $437,452 in back rent and other charges for its third-floor space at 9242 Beverly Boulevard. The property’s owner, Beverly Place L.P., claims that additional charges of $4,589.21 per day have been piling up since Dec. 30.
The partnership that owns the offices — which sit atop a first-floor Mercedes Benz dealership — says Relativity needs to pay up and get out immediately. Beverly place demands “restitution and possession of the premises” along with “forfeiture of the lease,” and the overdue payments.
Relativity did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Variety reported earlier this month that Relativity employees who had been furloughed over the winter holidays were told after New Years that they should not return to work indefinitely. Only a handful of employees remain on the job at the Beverly Boulevard headquarters, sources said.
With only a skeleton crew left at Relativity, the company only needs a fraction of the expansive space in once occupied. It has been trying to find tenants to rent some of the extra space, said one individual close to the company’s management.
Relativity emerged from bankruptcy in April of last year, but with little money in the bank and key employees jumping ship, the would-be film studio could not get back on its feet. Company founder Kavanaugh and his right hand, Dana Brunetti, reportedly left their positions atop Relativity just before Christmas, although there were signals they maintained some interest in the company, which hoped to compete with the major studios and create a “360-degree global media platform.”
The amount the landlord claims as past due includes $95,100 that Relativity was due to pay when it emerged from bankruptcy in April for past due rent. The rest of the amount owed has accumulated since then.