Fresno Cabo Case Settled

Sammy Hagar’s Red Head Inc. and a developer in Fresno, Calif., have settled a federal lawsuit over the former Cabo Wabo Cantina in the city.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco Dec. 22, Red Head’s suit claimed that developer Milt Barbis’ Fresno Rock Taco LLC failed to live up to the Cabo licensing agreement by refusing to pay royalties and mismanaging the venue, which damaged the Red Rocker’s reputation.

Barbis claimed in court that it was Hagar that failed to abide by terms of the agreement and caused construction delays on the project, according to court documents obtained by the Fresno Bee.

Red Head Inc. entered into the licensing deal with Rock Taco Dec. 7, 2006, and the venue opened its doors in August 2008. Less than six months later, Hagar terminated the agreement with the venue citing “existing issues.”

The club was to be a cornerstone of the city-backed Granite Park development that promised bars, restaurants, sports and recreation facilities. The sports and recreation component eventually unraveled, with millions in debt and multiple lawsuits hanging over the 420-acre development.