Chris Webber Sued Over Restaurant Closure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Mar 2nd 2010 at 8:01PM

Last November we mentioned that former Sacramento Kings basketball star Chris Webber had closed down Center Court With C-Webb, the sports restaurant he opened in the Sacramento three years ago. At the time of the closure there was talk that there might be a new location in the future but that never materialized. Now the AP is reporting that the owner of the shopping center where the restaurant was located is suing Webber and his business partner. Webber and his partner had signed a 20-year lease back in 2005.

Promenade, the company that owns the Promenade at Sacramento Gateway Shopping Center, wants around $3 million to satisfy overdue rent as well as pay for cleanup costs and other fees and get the property ready for re-leasing. Webber and his partner, Jeff Dudum of Dudum Sports and Entertainment are disputing the length of the lease which was reportedly signed with the shopping center's former owner, Opus West Corp., which is now bankrupt.

In October 2009, Sacramento police arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting outside the restaurant. The restaurant served sandwiches, steak and a variety of burgers including the "Fab 5," a burger with 44 ounces of choice Angus beef which sold for $29.50.

Tags: center court with c-webb, CenterCourtWithC-webb, Chris webber, ChrisWebber, sacrament, sacramento kings, SacramentoKings

Filed under: Dining, Sports

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

nthn Mar 3rd 2010 1:25AM

So he opened a brand new restaurant, one that wasn't established already, and signed a 20 year lease? What a stupid thing to do.

B. Hanks Mar 3rd 2010 2:29PM

No, the stupid one was the owner of the shopping center. No one gives a new, unproven establishment a 20 year lease.

Dunk Mar 3rd 2010 3:47PM

I think Chris called a time out on his lease, not realizing the clock showed 15 years remaining in the game.

Tom B. Mar 3rd 2010 7:57PM

EL Hanks, the shopping center owner was brilliant. It is tough to get a 20 year lease signed by a start up company and legally he holds all the cards. C Web and his partners screwed the pooch on this deal and now will have to pay for it.

Angela Mar 3rd 2010 2:34PM

Sounds like Chris Webber and Jeff Dudum are just about $3 million dollars worth of stupid. I think $3M is a fair buyout of the 20-year-lease, plus the shopping center owner's legal fees. They should pay it and git out while the gittin's good.

Rob Mar 3rd 2010 2:38PM

That's awesome! You could get a burger AND get shot. 20 year lease? Not sure who is more stupid, CWebb or the owner of the property.

steven Mar 3rd 2010 3:19PM

Just another typical scumbag sports star!

bzzzbayte Mar 3rd 2010 3:32PM

I DONT REMEMBER ANYONE EVER STATING THAT CHRIS WEBBER WAS VERY SMART DID YOU??

bzzzbayte Mar 3rd 2010 3:31PM

BASKETBALL PLAYERS OWNING A RESTAURANT??

gemini33alx Mar 3rd 2010 3:54PM

Lease back? They were not the original owners... Lease back would be the sale of the prop by owner with the contingency of leasing back a portion or the entire property.

-Jake

k-dog Mar 14th 2010 4:20AM

These sports star losers all walk from their big league contracts and are allowed to get away with it. ..... Sorry C-Web, the real world still holds people accountable! You are no longer protected by Professor David Stern.

k3rojal Mar 3rd 2010 5:52PM

Can you imagine going somewhere to eat that this guy owns? He is nothing but a failure like Woods, Vick, Rangel and the other dozens who rip people off. Americans are getting tired of Obama type people walking on us thinking we won't revolt.

michael woods Mar 3rd 2010 6:11PM

Apparently a lot of you all did not read the entire article. C Webb said he had signed a lease with the original owner and the original owner had file bankruptcy. Also as a business owner with a Master in Business Administration and I have leased property for over 20 years. The lease contracts opt you get out of the lease. If you do not pay rent on property you have 3 days to get out. The new owner is not going to get a dime out of Christ Webber. The contract was with the original owner.

olsonbill98 Mar 3rd 2010 7:38PM

There is process in a bankruptcy to assume the existing contracts of the bankrupt.
The new owners could very well have done just that and have the same rights as the bankrupt.

suzyteaser Mar 3rd 2010 7:28PM

I graduated from college some years ago w/a major in Management. My understanding is that the new owner(s) purchased the building from the original who was in bankrupty. As a result, the new owner assumed the responsibility of the previous contractual agreement. In which case, C Webb and his business partners are liability to the individual(s) who brought out the original owner's contract. He'll pay more to defend himself. He should settle.

justinvantaylor Mar 3rd 2010 7:59PM

Although the owner went bankrupt, C Webber still owes money on the rent. The contract remains in place. If your bank goes belly up, you do not get your mortgage erased. This looks like a case of C Webber thinking he was off the hook, or just a failed business venture. Either way, the property owner did the SMART thing!! I would be shocked if they did not have C Webber sign a personal guarantee for the lease- ie-even if the entity that controls the restaurant fails, C Webber is still on the hook. Why not sign up the tenant who can guarantee that?

Crystal Mar 3rd 2010 8:30PM

as with any building (residential or commercial) If the original owner files for bankruptsy and a new owner buys said property, they must honor any lease that is in place already, so does the "tenant". They owe the company 15 yrs, if the new owner was trying to force them out I'm sure everyone would be in an uproar and screaming how wrong they were!

Gil Mar 3rd 2010 7:00PM

Sounds like some sharpie took advantage of poor Chris. Sorta like when he screwed some NBA owners out of those big paychecks after he couldn't do much but talk about basketball. Chris could always talk...

Trish Mar 3rd 2010 7:15PM

Something doesn't sound right here. Why would Chris sign a 20 YEAR lease, not knowing how well his restaurant would go over? I think there must be extenuating facts on this case. Unfortunately for Chris, the leasing company is trying to rip him off, and whatever lawyer he has to hire to defend this crap, will be ripping him off too. Oh well, welcome to the judicial system of this country. You need a lawyer? You better be broke or rich.... otherwise, you will be fleeced trying to defend yourself in this enviornment we have in this country anymore. Every which way you turn, you can be sued.... and in the case of many Americans,....you are suing! Sickening.