The famed Viper Room, a Hollywood rock club once partially owned by Johnny Depp and the site where River Phoenix collapsed and died after a drug overdose, has been sold and may be redeveloped.
The Viper Room started out as a jazz club called the Melody Room that was said to be frequented by Bugsy Malone and Mickey Cohen, and was known as the Central in the '70s and '80s.
The club, along with several adjacent buildings, sold for $US80 million to a buyer known only as 8850 Sunset.
A representative for the buyer Jim Cooper of REM Finance told the Los Angeles Business Journal: "There's not a development plan in place."
"They're looking to see what the highest and best use would be."
River Phoenix died after suffering a fatal overdose there on October 31, 1993, the same year it first opened as The Viper Room with owners including Depp.
It became a hangout for young stars including Leonardo di Caprio and Tobey Maguire. Acts who have performed there include Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who played on opening night, Johnny Cash, Courtney Love and the Strokes. Depp sold his interest in the club in 2004.
The Sunset Strip area is experiencing a massive development boom, with hotels including the Jeremy, the Edition and Gwyneth Paltrow's planned Arts Club going up along the famed boulevard.
Australian Associated Press
