Washington-Detroit Theatre Co. v. Moore

Plaintiff has a 99-year lease of premises owned by defendant, upon which is a theatre building. Plaintiff claims the right under the lease to demolish the building, erect a new one, and use the latter for other than theatre purposes. Upon discussion of the matter with defendant, the latter denied plaintiff’s construction of the lease, and threatened to forfeit it if plaintiff commenced destruction of the building or used it otherwise than for a theatre. Plaintiff alleges that it cannot operate the building for theatre purposes without great loss, and has already lost an opportunity for…