The battle for control of the Greek Theatre took a new twist today when the Los Angeles City Council rejected a recommendation for entertainment giant Live Nation to assume control of the iconic venue.

Current operators Nederlander Concerts and bid partner AEG Live hope the vote to send the decision back for further consideration by the Department of Recreation and Parks – who had earlier sided with Live Nation – will lead to them holding on to the Greek.

Although the council’s 11-3 vote is nonbinding and only a recommendation, Nederlander Concerts chief executive Alex Hodges treated it as a victory, calling it “a great day” and adding, “We are confident our proposal is the right choice for the city.”

But Live Nation said in a statement, “Fortunately only the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners can award the contract and they have unanimously voted in favor of Live Nation.”

Supporters of both sides packed the council chamber with Live Nation partisans, dressed in red, on one side of the room and green-clad Nederlander supporters on the other.

Many residents living near the Greek have supported Nederlander, which has run the venue for 40 years, saying they are concerned that Live Nation would not be as considerate about traffic congestion and noise from concerts there.