Partners in suit over gaming-themed candy

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999 | 11:41 a.m.

A gourmet food and candy producer sued its former business partner, alleging a breach of its contract to produce a gambling-themed line of souvenir candy products.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by R.J. Hiel & Associates, targeted Las Vegas resident Rhonda Ivie and her company, Lines & Logos Inc. R.J. Hiel is attempting to get Ivie to honor its production contract, which it says runs through April 2003.

The suit says R.J. Hiel and Ivie struck a deal in May 1998 to produce a line called "Sweet Jackpots." R.J. Hiel said it invested more than $75,000 to produce the line over a five-year term, and said customers included the Venetian and MGM Grand hotel-casinos.

R.J. Hiel alleges Ivie contacted the company in August and informed it that the Sweet Jackpots contract would be terminated in September, though the contract had no provision for early termination. She then allegedly contacted R.J. Hiel's vendors and customers, informed them that they were no longer involved in the line's production and ordered them to stop purchasing from R.J. Hiel.

The company is seeking an order forcing Ivie to rescind the letters sent to R.J. Hiel's customers and vendors and to honor the terms of the contract.

Ivie could not be reached for comment.