Sean Parker agrees to $2.5M settlement over wedding venue
It appears that former Facebook president Sean Parker has inadvertently become an environmentalist to save his wedding.
He has agreed to dole out $2.5 million in a settlement with the California Coastal Commission over the construction of an immense wedding venue in an ecologically sensitive area of state. That comes on top of the $10 million he spent on his lavish wedding this past weekend to singer-songwriter Alexandra Lenas.
In a little nook of the redwood forest in Big Sur, Calif., Parker commissioned the custom-made construction of what seems like a small village for his wedding day. In addition to a gated cottage, fake ruins, bridges, and ponds, a specially constructed dance floor decorated with imported plants is being erected, according to the Atlantic.
The problem is, all of this construction commenced without the proper permits being in place, according to the Associated Press. And, the custom-made village was apparently a little bit too close to the redwood forest and a stream where threatened steelhead trout live.
The California Coastal Commission caught wind of Parker's plans after being tipped off by aggrieved neighbors. By the time it checked out the area, many of the structures for the wedding were already built. According to the commission, Parker has been very cooperative in the settlement.
"We always dreamed of getting married in Big Sur, one of the most magical places on earth," Parker said in a statement (PDF). "In continuing my foundation's mission, we are excited to support these important conservation-related projects for and with the local community."
The California Coastal Commission staff will oversee the dismantling of the venue to ensure no environmental damage takes place. The Ventana Inn & Spa owns the land where the wedding will be and is negotiating a separate settlement with the commission.