San Francisco agrees to pay $290,000 to settle suit by rock band Journey's Neal Schon

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.