Venetian owner sued over contract

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1999 | 11:16 a.m.

Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson has been sued over his Las Vegas Expo Center again, this time by a company claiming the Sands violated its contract to supply pay phones to the center.

In a state district court lawsuit filed last week, local company CCN Inc. asked the court to force Interface Group-Nevada to honor the terms of its two-year contract. CCN held the exclusive contract to operate pay phones in the convention center until Sept. 5, 1999.

The contract was set to automatically renew for one-year periods after that date, unless Interface gave 30-day written notice, the suit said. Interface informed CCN Jan. 20 that it planned to use a new provider.

CCN said this violated its right of first refusal. Its contract with Interface, CCN claims, gives it the right to match the terms of any new contractor, but the company said Interface did not give it this opportunity.

Paul Roberts, attorney for Interface, said he had not yet seen a copy of the lawsuit, and could not comment.

GES Exposition Services Inc., a subsidiary of Viad Corp. of Phoenix, has filed a similar lawsuit against Interface in state court. In its lawsuit, GES said Interface violated its right of first refusal in signing up new electrical and plumbing providers. Interface has denied this, claiming it's providing the services in house.