Historic Las Vegas Theatre Sues AT&T Over Cell Tower Blocking Restoration

8NewNows reports that Brass Monkey, LLC, the company behind Huntridge Theater’s restoration project, has filed an emergency temporary restraining order and a request for a preliminary injunction against Crown Castle Inc. and AT&T, alleging that a cell tower on the property of the historic Huntridge Theater in Las Vegas has caused significant delays in the theater’s restoration. The lawsuit, filed Monday, seeks to halt activities that are reportedly obstructing redevelopment efforts.

According to the lawsuit, Crown Castle and AT&T have refused to cooperate with relocating the cell tower, which is located on the theater's property near Maryland Parkway and Charleston Boulevard. The cell tower, constructed under a 1996 lease agreement, has been a point of contention, with Brass Monkey claiming that the companies have violated federal regulations governing cellular towers near historic buildings.

The lawsuit also alleges that AT&T and Crown Castle failed to obtain the necessary approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), both prior to and during the time the tower has been on the Huntridge Theater property.

Brass Monkey, LLC, the company behind the theater’s restoration project, said it is seeking injunctive relief to facilitate the relocation of the tower and prevent further delays in redevelopment.

“We remain committed to the preservation and revitalization of the project,” J. Dapper, principal of Brass Monkey, LLC and owner of the Huntridge Theater, said in a statement to 8NewsNow. “This legal action is necessary to prevent further harm to the property, in addition to putting us back on track with the renovation.”

The Huntridge Theater, which originally opened in 1944, has hosted notable performances by artists such as The Killers, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Violent Femmes before closing its doors on July 31, 2004. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, the State Register of Historic Places in 1999, and the City of Las Vegas Historic Register in 2021. The theater’s restoration is set to include a new performance arts center operated by SoHo Playhouse.