A man who orchestrated a deal to build a $21.5 million theater in Roanoke Rapids has been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury.
Rick Watson is the former chief executive of a nonprofit economic development group and later a business partner with theater namesake Randy Parton.
Watson’s attorney Wade Smith told WRAL-TV on Thursday the subpoena doesn’t say why he must appear in court.
The theater has struggled financially since its 2007 opening, prompting city officials to boot Parton and strip his name from the facility.
The venue was supposed to be the cornerstone of an entertainment district that has yet to pan out. A lawsuit filed by a taxpayer advocacy group asks that the theater’s developers to pay back the city and that all contracts related to the project be voided.
by Locker Room contributor
