Critics of the proposed UCLA Luskin Conference and Guest Center have filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles County Superior Court to block plans to build the facility, the Los Angeles Times reported today.
Among other concerns, the lawsuit, filed by neighborhood nonprofit organization Save Westwood Village today, alleges that UCLA officials did not objectively analyze alternatives to the $162 million proposal and that the proposed center will violate zoning laws, according to the L.A. Times report.
UCLA officials need time to review the complaint, according to a university statement.
Designs for the Luskin Center, which were approved by the UC Board of Regents last month, include 250 guest rooms and a 242,000-square-foot conference center, according to a report from the UC Office of the President. The center will also allocate 10,000 square feet for a catering kitchen to replace an older facility on campus, the Daily Bruin reported last month.
The proposal has generated criticism from business and hotel owners in the area, including members of Save Westwood Village, who previously expressed concerns the center might take away revenue from nearby hotels, according to Daily Bruin archives.
The UCLA statement, however, said the center will not compete with local hotels for tourists and other business travelers because guests will have to be affiliated with the university to make reservations, similar to existing policies at the UCLA Guest House and Tiverton House, which are frequently at or near capacity.
Compiled by Naheed Rajwani, Bruin senior staff.