Lawsuit over former Randy Parton Theatre to be filed

Roanoke Rapids, N.C. — The North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law said it would file a lawsuit Thursday against the music theater that country music singer Randy Parton used to run for the city.

There is a long list of defendants, including Parton and his company, Moonlight Bandit Productions; the Northeast Partnership and the North Carolina Northeast Regional Economic Development Commission.

An institute representative said the defendants "lured Roanoke Rapids into financing the theater deal."

The city is not going to be named in this lawsuit.

In December, Roanoke Rapids officials cut ties with Parton, who was brought in to jump-start the operation that was meant to boost the city's struggling economy.

The city stripped Parton of his management duties and slashed his salary after the theater failed to meet projected revenue and attendance numbers. Accusations that he misused funds and came to work intoxicated before a show led the city to cut ties with him.