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http://postgazette.com/pg/12040/1209000-53.stm

Toby Keith bar and grill could join North Shore

Thursday, February 09, 2012
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Country singer Toby Keith may be choosing the north over the south.

Continental Real Estate Cos. is talking to his representatives about opening a Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill on the North Shore near Heinz Field instead of at the SouthSide Works.

The discussions come after an effort to build the restaurant on the South Side riverfront collapsed, triggering a lawsuit that charged that the Toby Keith franchise did not live up to its lease obligations.

On the North Shore, the venue would anchor a new development proposed by Continental and its partners, the Steelers and the Pirates, on the front half of a 3.3-acre parcel closest to North Shore Drive and next to Stage AE.

Under an amended agreement with the city's Stadium Authority, Continental and the teams have until Dec. 31 to start development of the parcel. They are proposing two buildings at the site, with restaurants or entertainment at street level and offices above them.

Frank Kass, Continental's chairman, confirmed that the developer has been talking to representatives of the Toby Keith franchise about opening a venue on the North Shore.

He said no final deal has been reached.

Continental had talked to representatives of Mr. Keith, a lifelong Steelers fan, about locating on the North Shore before the deal was reached to build on the South Side.

Gregory McClure, president of Boomtown Entertainment LLC, which owns and operates Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill locations throughout the country, declined comment Wednesday about the latest talks.

In an earlier interview, he said the restaurant chain was still interested in opportunities in the Pittsburgh area, despite the collapse of the SouthSide Works deal and the subsequent litigation.

"We've put out feelers all over the city. We're still looking in the Pittsburgh area and when we have something more concrete, I probably can give you a comment," he said.

The lawsuit, filed in June in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court by an affiliate of the Soffer Organization, the SouthSide Works developer, sought a judgment of $460,005 against CRGE Pittsburgh LLC, an arm of Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill.

Boomtown Entertainment is separate from CRGE Pittsburgh, Mr. McClure said.

The complaint maintains that CRGE defaulted on the lease agreement by failing to provide financial statements and evidence of equity financing. Lawyers for CRGE are contesting the allegations.

In more recent court filing, the two sides indicated that they were trying to settle the case. Robert Stein, an attorney for CRGE, said Wednesday those discussions are continuing.

"Right now, the parties are focused on exploring a settlement alternative," he said.

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