Area 51 Prods., Inc. v. City of Alameda

*170 *586 Area 51 Productions, Inc. (Area 51), an event planning company, had a long-standing relationship with the City of Alameda (the *587 City) to license the use of certain City property to Area 51 for events Area 51 helped plan and promote with third-party companies. The City relied on PM Realty Group, L.P. (PM) to assist it with managing these license arrangements. Due to various problems at or in connection with events put on by Area 51, the City decided to cease doing business with it in mid-2014.

Because that left Area 51 on the hook to a number of third-party entities based on commitments undertaken in reliance on PM's previous confirmation of the City's willingness to license event space, Area 51 sued the City and various other parties who acted on the City's behalf, seeking damages. Sued along with the City were City Manager John Russo and Acting Assistant Community Development Director Nanette Banks Mocanu, as well as PM and three employees of PM, Stacey McCarthy, Tiffany McClendon and Maria Elgarico. 1

In response to the complaint, Defendants filed a general demurrer and a motion to strike all causes of action under Code of Civil Procedure 2 section 425.16,…