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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,270
Registered: ‎04-20-2012

Rock band Journey guitarist wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco

[ Edited ]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $290,000 payout to settle a lawsuit by the guitarist of rock band Journey that claimed the city unfairly jacked up fees to use a city landmark for his lavish wedding.

 

The full board voted unanimously to approve the settlement with Neal Schon.

Schon married "Real Housewives of D.C." star Michaele Salahi in December 2013 at the Palace of Fine Arts with a reception at an adjacent building that once housed the Exploratorium science museum.

 

Schon said he agreed to pay the city $58,000 for the use of the building, but he was surprised to learn days before the wedding that he would have to pay $240,000 for the opulent event to go on. He reluctantly paid, likening the price hike to "extortion."

The couple sued in federal court in February, claiming that the city unfairly jacked up the fee after learning the couple planned to broadcast the event on pay-per-view television. 

 

City Attorney Dennis Herrera initially defended the higher charge as appropriate for a commercial event. "We're grateful we were able to reach an amicable agreement to resolve the dispute, and we wish Neal and Michaele every happiness in married life," Herrera's office said in a statement.

 

Journey is a band nearly synonymous with San Francisco in some circles. Two of its songs, "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Lights," are unofficial theme songs of the San Francisco Giants.

 

Before starring in the 2010 season of "Housewives," Salahi made headlines when she and her then-husband crashed a state dinner at the White House in 2009.

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This story has been corrected to change the song title to "Don't Stop Believin'."

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,353
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Rock band Journey wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco

It was ONE member of the band, not the entire band itself. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,417
Registered: ‎03-19-2014

Re: Rock band Journey guitarist wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco

I didn't realize they had gotten married.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,743
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Rock band Journey guitarist wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco

Interesting.

 

Neil S. is a fabulous jazz guitarist, too.  I was a huge Journey fan and his guitar work is distinctive.

 

I read somewhere that he had met his current wife at a concert many years ago.  They were attracted to each other, but went on to separate lives.

 

Michaele was on a Housewives of DC show (as stated) and married to a guy from Virginia who aspired to be richer than he was.  They were in trouble for fraudulent activites with some group they created and then, crashed the WH dinner. 

 

Somewhere along the way, she met back up with NS, left the VA husband and he filed a missing person's report saying she'd been kidnapped. 

 

It was all the talk in this area (I live in MD) for a few days.  I don't think she ever went back and supposedly, she and NS are mad about each other and she travels everywhere with him.

 

Yes, I know way too much about these people for some reason.

 

Anyway, it sounds like it was a good outcome for NS all around.

Esteemed Contributor
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Registered: ‎06-29-2010

Re: Rock band Journey guitarist wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco


@shoptilyadropagain wrote:

I didn't realize they had gotten married.


I am surprised that anyone woudl marry that gal.  She's a loon.

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,203
Registered: ‎06-16-2015

Re: Rock band Journey guitarist wins lawsuit against City of San Francisco


@Puzzle Piece wrote:

@shoptilyadropagain wrote:

I didn't realize they had gotten married.


I am surprised that anyone woudl marry that gal.  She's a loon.


Yeah, that would be an understatement.