A federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of the landmark Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Friday against the city of Los Angeles, claiming that municipal oversight of digital billboards and supergraphics is unconstitutional. The complaint, in which the hotel is joined by the outdoor advertising company In Plain Sight Media Inc., contends that the city's Community Redevelopment Agency and other city agencies unlawfully denied a request to install supergraphic signage at the hotel.

The suit claims that regulations governing supergraphics are unfairly enforced by the city. IPSM — which has a multi-year lease agreement with the Roosevelt — alleges that although the Roosevelt is a historic property, the city has allowed electronic signage on other landmark buildings in Los Angeles.

The city's regulations are unconstitutional because they "violate free speech rights" and "commercial speech rights," the Roosevelt and IPSM contend. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, also claims the permit process is flawed and enforced unfairly.

Calls for comment from representatives of both sides after regular business hours were not immediately returned.

The city has long battled advertisers in order to regulate electronic billboards and supergraphics, which are oversized ads that wrap at least one side of a building.

Despite adversarial court rulings, Los Angeles has a temporary moratorium on new installations of the signs. Earlier this year, the City Council backed a state bill that would temporarily ban all digital billboards.